The first, is love

This piece took shape over years, beginning as an abstract painting and growing into a tactile, textured collage that captures the emotions of first love, discovery, and eventual betrayal. I layered thick strokes of paint and paper, rich with color and texture, and wove in delicate lace to evoke femininity, something I once resisted as a tomboy but now embrace. The colors blend and combine with the fluidity of youthful discovery, and that immersive feeling of falling for someone for the first time.

The woman in the image is passionate, consumed by the sensations of love, like a drug. The post stamp represents the constant desire for connection, and to be in touch. Fruits and florals hint at female sexuality and the first taste of intimacy and self-exploration. A clock behind her, a quiet reminder that love, while consuming, is not definite and can shift over time. "The first, is love," the text says, simple, a reminder of how first love can both shape and shatter. Meanwhile, the man, distant and contemplative, glances away, an omen of eventual betrayal.

This work was not conceived with a narrative in mind; it grew organically, just as memories of youth do. The fusion of painting and collage, a practice I’ve honed over time, unveiled this story, this moment in time. It’s a bittersweet reminder of a love that once consumed me and the art that now lets me reflect on it.