When a Floral Became Alice: The Story Behind an Intuitive Portrait

If you have followed my work for a while, you’ve probably heard me say this:

The women I paint just show up.

That’s exactly what happened with Alice. This painting was never meant to be a portrait. I began with every intention of creating an abstract floral with a variety of blooms, layered color, movement across the canvas. I paint intuitively because when I use a reference image, I get consumed by detail. The life of the piece disappears.

But this one refused to come together.

I changed the color palette.
I shifted to a single color family.
I adjusted the composition again and again.

Still, it felt off.

After a couple of days of trying to “solve” it, I did what I often do when something isn’t working. I covered everything with rice paper. It was an act of surrender.

And that was Alice’s cue.

From beneath the layers, her face began to emerge. The moment I saw her, everything shifted. The tension left the painting. The energy settled. The piece felt complete.

She carries a quiet strength. There is resilience in her gaze and a regal presence in the way she holds space. Alice was not constructed, she was revealed as most of my women come to the canvas.

This is the beauty of intuitive mixed media painting. Sometimes what we intend to create is only the beginning. The real work emerges when we release control and allow something unexpected to surface.

Alice reminds me that strength does not have to be loud. Resilience does not have to be hard. There is power in stillness. There is authority in quiet presence.

She began as flowers. She became something deeper. And she arrived exactly when she was meant to.

She is available in a variety of forms, such as prints, greeting cards, tote bags and even puzzles.