Ethan stands alone in a sea of poppies, their scarlet petals dancing like whispers across the golden hush of the earth. The young man’s figure is bathed in soft light, his frame gently swaying with the rhythm of the wind, as if he too were just another stem in the field—rooted, yet yearning to drift.
His eyes are cast downward, half-closed, not in sorrow but in something far more fleeting—contemplation. You can almost see his thoughts drift away like dandelion seeds on the wind. He tries to be present, to feel the earth beneath his feet, the tickle of wildflowers brushing against his legs, the caress of the breeze kissing his cheeks. And yet, his mind floats elsewhere—chasing memories, questions, maybe even dreams that feel too big to name.
This watercolor painting, unfolds like a quiet poem. The palette is tender and translucent: muted greens melt into sun-warmed yellows, while delicate blushes of red flutter across the canvas, capturing the fragile life of the poppies.
In this artwork, we are reminded of the tender tension between mindfulness and daydreaming—between trying to anchor ourselves in the now and letting go into the vastness of our thoughts. It is a moment suspended in quiet beauty, inviting us to pause, breathe, and gently lose ourselves too.
Some images of the process:
Line drawing before passing to final watercolor paper
watercolor layers
