Stillness
In this painting named Rain 2, Maria Zeldis has created a beautiful image of serenity. Its subject has a calm, dreamlike expression on her face. She seems perfectly at peace. Her tranquil face serves as a stark contrast to the world around her. Behind the girl’s illuminated face, there is nothing but darkness and rain. The girl is wearing a drab, soaked rain jacket that seems to trap her in, making most of her body blend into the shadows behind her. This darkness does not seem to bother the child. She has her face turned up into the rain, not flinching even as the water runs down her face and soaks her hair.
Despite the darkness, which evokes concealment and adversity, her the inner beauty and grace shine through. Although she could pull up her hood and stay dry, she looks into the sky and welcomes the coolness of the rain on her face. Her eyes are closed, blocking out the world around her. The true power of this image lies in its gentle reminder that sometimes our greatest strength lies in allowing ourselves to stop — close our eyes, and trust that in stillness, we might finally hear our own truths speaking.
In a society that values constant productivity and perpetual connectivity, allowing ourselves moments of complete stillness has become a radical act. This artwork serves as both mirror and window. It reflects back to us our own relationship with surrender while offering a glimpse into a state of being many of us seek. In the depths of stillness, we often discover our most authentic selves. And in that discovery lies a particular kind of peace that no amount of striving can ever produce.
Have you ever experienced stillness?
Artwork: Maria Zeldis
The canvas adds a nice texture to the drawing as a whole, almost like another layer of serenity.
This drawing evokes a sense of purge/cleanse for the viewer. I am assuming that this is because the boy uses the rain as a cleaning/relieving method for his negative life created by other external factors (parents, friends etc.). The rain is also used as a sort of detachment from reality, a private sanctuary where the boy can purify itself from all of the negative influences.