"Pleased" is a visual reflection of people pleasing — the internalized belief that we must be liked, approved of, and uncontroversial in order to belong. This painting explores what happens when that belief begins to crack.
Blocks of muted ochre, sage, ivory, and black form a grid-like structure — a metaphor for the systems we build around ourselves to stay acceptable. But beneath the order, raw drawn details, exposed textures, and uneven layers speak of suppressed emotion and quiet rebellion. The eye is drawn to the subtle chaos just under the surface — echoing the inner conflict of self-suppression and the longing for approval.
Etched into the layers like a whispered truth, is a quote and serves both as anchor and marks the beginning of release.
"Pleased" is both a confrontation and an invitation: ist a turning point to question the roles we perform, and an invitation to disappoint — for the sake of becoming whole.