THE PAINTING - A SHORT FILM
I’ve had a vision for a Dutch Masters design for so, so long. Back in the Spring of 2020, I partnered with a brilliant florist, Selena of The Wildflowers, to experiment with still life visuals when the world shut down. For a whole year, we gathered fruits, oiled them, foraged flowers, spilled water in vessels, and rolled berries across tables. I felt so alive translating it all on camera.
After spending that year studying the emotion and shapes of still life work, the idea of a painting “coming to life” surfaced. That summer I dove into the planning and decided I was ready to pursue this idea as a short, art film.
THE PAINTING
THE STORY OF A PAINTER’S MUSE WHO AWAKENS TO AN UNRAVELING SCENE AS SHE SEPARATES TRUTH FROM ILLUSION.
As always, let’s dive into my process. There were 3 themes I wanted to explore:
Pt. I: THE TREASURES
When I started to imagine a muse in a Dutch Master’s painting, I knew I wanted it to be filled with the characteristics known of those paintings: opulence, movement, dramatic lighting, and spilling flowers. Surrounded by her glorious treasures, the questions started to flood my mind: What do these treasures represent? And maybe more importantly, who is she without them?
So I begin the premise of the story with a question the muse asks herself, posed inside her frame: Will they love me for me?
Pt. II THE UNRAVELING
While there were a lot of things I was undecided about, I was sure of one thing: the beautiful tablescape before her would come undone. An action should always be inspired by a motivation. So I asked myself - why? Why is this coming undone and is she trying to fix it?
Since the character’s identity was based on the Enneagram 3 (known for their ambition), the objects on the table represented not only her achievements, but also a facade. Because Type 3’s experience love through affirmation and recognition, I wanted those objects to crumble (literally) so that she could no longer hide among them — the accolades. To experience love without believing she had to earn it through her gifts. In her mind, the only reason the painting (she) was worth seeing was because of the beautiful objects on the tablescape (her achievements), rather than believing that she alone could be what someone wanted to see. I partnered with singer and songwriter Dianne Tubbs to compose original lyrics to capture the essence of this internal battle. Here are some of the lyrics that didn’t make the final piece, paired with some that did:
Do they love the real me or the me I let them see?
I might be tucked away (in)
The accolades and echoes of their empty praise
The hollowness of earthly glory melts away
And I am left the image of my untouched, raw and worthy face
My Director of Photography, Jacen Sievers, is someone I absolutely love to work with — not only is he a master at shaping light, but he brings ideas to the story as well. It was Jacen who had the idea of suspending an actual frame so that we could physically move into this painting in the film - crossing a threshold and entering her world. He takes my conceptual ideas and elevates them by bringing in technical elements I wouldn’t be able to on my own. The opening of a film is extremely important because it is the one moment you get to invite and ask your audience permission for their full attention.
When we cross the painting threshold, we are inside her thoughts:
What do they hope to see?
When they look through my window?
Peering into my world
Through a grid of my beautiful lies
And this is when her treasures begin to unravel; her questioning begins. Her search for truth is what initiates the facade to crumble.
When [Enneagram 3’s] don’t know that their value is truly derived from who they are, they get lost in these searches and these journeys of validation are really motivated by this failure-avoidance fear. That only upsets their ability to experience being loved for the real reasons we offer them love. —Richard Rhor
Pt. III THE TRUTH
She catches a glimpse of her reflection in a mirror. You are probably not surprised by this as mirrors are a theme I love to constantly explore and incorporate in my work to resemble the truth of someone; a mirror is symbolic of the ways we confront ourselves. The muse also wears a “broken” crown created by the talented Erin Rhyne who shaped wilted flowers into her design. Though our muse is surrounded in opulence and beauty, her wilted crown is the truest reflection of her spirit. Weary, wilted, and holding on. Her reflection in the mirror, on the other hand, reflects back a muse with a magnificent and full crown.
The reflection is an invitation to see this truth - you can strip it all away - the accolades, talents, and wins - left only with yourself and you are still worthy of being seen.
And so it is. It is all stripped away and she is left with a simple vase, a singular bloom, and herself. Her final stance is not one of complete confidence, but rather, it is one that is willing to not run away when she can no longer hide behind her gifts. And one final question is posed.. to herself.. to us:
Will I be enough for me?
To my incredible team.. thank you. Thank you for always trusting me, even as the ideas are still unfolding and we’re not quite sure where we will land. You trust that we always will. Director of Photography: Jacen Sievers, Muse: Mykala Ballard, Set Design & Tablescape: Selena Thompson, Floral Design: The Wildflowers, MUA & Fashion Styling: Diane Aiello, BTS photographer: Kooper Underwood, Wardrobe provided by Vintage by Misty, Sound Engineer: Joshua Coe, Production Assistant: Gabrielle Sikes, Crown: Erin Rhyne, Studio: The Gray Atelier.
