After my 20-year-old-sister died in 1999, my art took on a new purpose: to comfort myself with images of the hope and healing I wanted to feel, hear and see. It is easy to forget what I most need to remember in this life of pain and beauty. But quiet messages do come, like seeing beautiful decaying apples, or finding a frozen woolly bear caterpillar who will later revive and live on. Painting what I notice—and sharing about what I paint—is how I stay focused on these life-giving reminders: You are more than this body and mind. You can get through this. It’s okay to rest. Look up and see the goodness. You are worthy. Love is right here with you.