IT’S OKAY TO FEEL BOTH

This artwork is a conversation between two emotions, strength and vulnerability. On the left, the figure stands, firm and composed, holding itself together. On the right, the same figure collapses into its own hands, overwhelmed by the weight of unspoken feelings.

I wanted to capture the duality we all live with, the smile we show to the world and the tears we hide within. Society often tells us to “be strong,” but strength without honesty is fragile. Real strength is in knowing when to stand tall and when to let yourself fall apart.

The message, “It’s ok to feel both. Know when to feel both,” is a reminder that emotions are not opposites but companions. We are not less human when we cry, nor more human when we smile, we are whole only when we embrace both sides.