Soul Trap

When I find myself in a difficult situation and I struggle with my emotions... i turn to my sketch book.  Just drawing a line, a continuous line and filling a page will bring me a calmness and focus that I haven't been able to find elsewhere.  I love lines, i love ink... when I draw... it is as though I am pulling out my restlessness, my anxiety, my thoughts.. and placing them somewhere I can look at them objectively.  

Often.. when I encounter negativity, or hurt, or difficulty.. i see it as a picture.  I guess I either have a vivid imagination, or am just a very visual person... or both.  If someone is telling me something... most of the time it is in my mind in picture form.  

So... this painting... "Soul Trap" ... came from one of my sketches.  I think I did it a couple years ago.  My desire in life is to always look for the good, to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume good intentions.  Sometimes... this gets me into a situation where I am astonished by bad behaviour or unkindness... and I guess I shouldn't be astonished... it happens.  

Anyways... I feel that there are people who are trapped.. unable to rise above bitterness, anger, resentment and hatred... and it can't be a good place to be.  It is a difficult thing to let go of those emotions... to get untangled.  

This is a painting about that.... and I hope to hell this doesn't sound preachy... it isn't meant to.