"Ich Liebe Dich" is my heart on canvas. I lost my mom when I was just 11, but I can still hear her voice saying those words—soft but certain, the way only a mother can say "I love you" in her German native tongue.
This painting started with actual photos of German towns and the Rhine River—places we explored together. I layered them onto the canvas, then started covering them with acrylics and pastels. Not to hide them, but because that's how memory works, isn't it? The details blur but the feeling remains. The golden tones in the background are the summer light in the countryside where we would ride bikes and explore. The textural elements speak to the richness of German landscapes—rolling hills, riverbanks, and cobblestone streets.
Creating "Ich Liebe Dich" was like having a conversation with her, remembering the beauty of her and Germany. In those quiet studio hours, brush in hand, I created this piece to carry more than just paint and pastel—it holds fragments of a shared past.
48x60