The Ceremony of Joy

30x24in – Mixed Media Oil on Canvas

This is what it looks like when joy rises from deep within—ancient, rooted, and true.
She wears her spirit out loud, each choice a reflection of freedom.
She laughs—not in response to the world, but from the knowing that lives in her bones.
This is joy as a sacred ceremony.

Sheila’s Note: This painting asked for deeper colors. Deeper everything. It wasn’t about a spontaneous laugh—it was about soul-level joy, the kind that lives in your bones and ripens over time. As I painted, I found myself slowing down, breathing more fully. She reminded me that beauty is not always about brightness. Sometimes, it’s in the richness, the layers, the unapologetic fullness of a life deeply lived.