Baby Daniel

Have you ever had a knowing, something you believed in & it’s been easy for you to believe in… but not everyone finds it as easy for them to believe in the same way? Over the years I’ve come to understand that each of us has a personal belief that comes easy to us, whether by faith or personal witness.

Ever since I was a little girl & first learned about my mother’s 1st pregnancy of twin boys I told her that I know them. They are of course in heaven, I know them! That was my belief as a small child that has carried out throughout my life.

When I first heard word of my niece recently having to deliver her baby early, at the same stage of development as my twin brothers, this image immediately came to mind. I wanted to give her a tangible piece of my testimony to share as hopeful comfort. A visual of what I feel with all my heart to be true. At first I had sketched a more peaceful reverent expression on baby Daniel’s face, but about a third of the way into painting this, I had a strong impression come over me… as if Daniel was whispering to my spirit, “Smile! I smiled at Jesus Aunt Becky, show my Mommy & Daddy how much JOY I felt to see Him! Please!”

After I readjusted his expression on his face, it felt comforting to know that this was what he wanted them to see. ????

Each of us are different for a reason, because just as I know that the spirit world is real, I have always felt it so close. Jesus is very real. So do I believe that we are all meant to have our own unique abilities & differences so we can support each other.

Daniel, perhaps, was always meant to be an angel to his family. His brief time on earth has meaning, that isn’t supposed to make complete sense because it’s meant to teach us faith… just as my parents have had to learn how to hope & have faith that one day they’ll see my brothers again. Perhaps my role in others learning this hope & faith, has been to share what I genuinely believe to be true & have always felt this way – to use my talents in painting & show what I feel; they choose if they believe it too.

I am one very blessed Auntie to have this little angel in my life who I look forward to seeing in the arms of my niece again. ????

Author Box 04
About the Artist

I am an advocate first, and an artist second. My paintings create visual comfort-- spaces where grief, hope, and healing can live together without apology...

I paint what matters most: the people you cherish, the moments that shaped you, the feelings that need witness. Through art, your most precious memories move outside of you and into your home, where they can be held, seen, and never forgotten.

My work is rooted in three commitments: honoring the experiences of indigenous communities and the history of the land we inhabit; creating safe space for children and women whose voices have been silenced; and recording the honest truth of lived experience-- both my own and that of those who came before me. I believe art has the power to tell stories that words alone cannot, and to preserve what must not be lost or forgotten. I believe that all that we know about ourselves is because Art has preserved those stories throughout history, outliving those who created it.

When you encounter my work, I hope you find yourself in it-- not as escape, but as recognition. I hope it reminds you that your feelings matter, that your story deserves to be held, and that compassion and truth are still worth carrying forward.

Art is the voice that speaks honestly through the heart. 💝🪷