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"Live Your Life by Compass, Not a Clock" is a vibrant, textured and positive exploration of the female journey, blending Surrealist elements with deeply personal symbolism. This piece reflects the inner experience of navigating chronic pain, fertility challenges, and the search for meaning, all while exploring a path beyond the constraints of time.
 
Central to the composition are parrots perched on a branch, symbolising the spine—a metaphor for the body’s strength and support. Parrots, with their vibrant colours and ability to mimic speech, carry deeper symbolism as well. They have long been associated with freedom, communication, and resilience. In this piece, they represent not only the physical support of the body but also the strength and adaptability women must find within themselves as they navigate life’s challenges. Parrots have appeared in the work of many artists, including Frida Kahlo, where they are seen as symbols of companionship and comfort in the face of pain—a theme that resonates deeply with this piece. Their bright presence in "Live Your Life by Compass, Not a Clock" reminds us that even in times of struggle, there is space for joy, colour, creativity and life.
 
Below the parrots, a water lily represents the uterus. The water lily is a powerful symbol of strength, endurance, and beauty despite adversity, much like the challenges women face with fertility and menstruation. Thriving in murky, challenging conditions, the water lily mirrors the way women, too, often thrive and find strength in the midst of hardship. This resilience and ability to create life or nurture a legacy beyond the biological clock is central to the piece’s theme.
 
On either side of the water lily, a compass and a clock stand in for the ovaries. These symbols speak to the pressures many women feel between the “biological clock” and the desire to follow their own direction in life. For women with fertility-affecting conditions, such as myself, the legacy we leave may not be through children but through adventures, stories, and experiences that transcend the traditional markers of time.
 
The compass, in contrast to the clock, symbolises the possibility of charting a new course—one that is not governed by the ticking of time but by the choices we make, the dreams we chase, and the lives we create on our own terms. It reflects the idea that our direction in life can be shaped by passion, creativity, and exploration rather than the pressures of fertility and societal and relationship expectations.
 
Bright, abstract, wing-shaped colours are painted across the canvas with thick impasto, adding another layer of symbolism. The wings could be seen as butterflies, evoking themes of transformation and growth. Butterflies symbolise change, evolution, and the journey of becoming, making them a fitting symbol for this piece. Just as butterflies undergo metamorphosis, so too do women on their own journeys, facing challenges and emerging transformed by their experiences.
 
The hot air balloon is another powerful symbol in this work. It speaks to a distant dream of adventure, perhaps a hot air balloon ride across a desert—a metaphor for the unexplored landscapes and experiences still calling us forward. This is an invitation to look beyond limitations and embrace the freedom to explore new horizons, both literal and metaphorical.
 
The desert-like texture of the painting is etched with an inscription in Arabic: “God is my everything.” Though I’m not religious, this phrase represents the moments when we call upon spiritual or universal forces in times of pain or uncertainty. It reflects a connection to something larger than ourselves, a way of finding solace and strength in the midst of life’s challenges.
 
This piece is also infused with personal history. The tropical colours and textures call back to my own ancestry, grounding the work in a rich cultural tradition while also evoking the vibrancy of tropical lands. The tropical elements speak to a personal sense of identity and the call to adventure that has shaped not only my personal journey but also the stories I wish to tell through my art.
 
"Live Your Life by Compass, Not a Clock" invites viewers to reflect on their own journeys—how we navigate time, pain, and hope, while also creating legacies that may not follow traditional paths. For those of us whose bodies may not follow the biological clock’s timeline, our legacies are not defined by the children we bear but by the stories we live, the adventures we seek, and the new directions we choose to follow.
 
Size: 23.6" x 19.7"
Media: Mixed Media
Format: Stretched Canvas 100% Cotton
Frame: Unframed
 
Original Art: This item is a 100% original painting, hand-painted by Atelier Six. It is signed by the artist and dated on verso which guarantees its authenticity and artistic value.
 
Protected Packaging: Your artwork will be carefully packaged to ensure its safe arrival, striking a balance between reliability and environmental responsibility.