The Weight of Plenty: Embracing Abundance and Choice
The Weight of Plenty, 8x10 in. gouache & watercolor on paper. - available at Parklane Gallery until Jan 2025
“Describe your feelings,” my therapist prompted.
I hesitated, searching for words that could express the weight of the moment. “In this situation, I feel like I’m quickly closing up, like a clam shell,” I said, proud of my analogy.
I expected to explore the shutting down—the way tension made me retreat, curl inward, and protect myself.
He asked, “Why a clam?”
His question caught me off guard. Why a clam? Why had I chosen something so small?
He challenged me to visualize and represent myself bigger. So, from a clam, my imagination expanded to a fish, then to a whale, then the vastness of the ocean. Sometime later, I finally reached the universe, I felt both infinite and insignificant, all at once. That duality stirred something in me, feeling my (small) part in an infinite universe. I also realized how often I limit my view, shrinking myself into a shell, when I can also see myself as vast and limitless?
This lesson resurfaced in a different setting—an indie concert, standing room only. At just shy of 5 feet tall, my view was, let’s say, a bit obstructed. My 6’4” husband stood effortlessly above the crowd. For me, the muffled sound and blocked sightlines were frustrating. Until I found a bench to stand on, and suddenly, the world expanded. The music became clearer, the experience transformed. Once again, the duality of misfortune and fortune—frustration and determination to find a solution—showed me how perspective changes everything.
These reflections on duality—of feeling infinite and insignificant, of fortune and misfortune, frustration and determination—led me to the title of my painting The Weight of Plenty. The piece reflects the richness of abundance and the sense of responsibility that often accompanies it. The female figure in the painting holds much, yet more continues to flow toward her. In the background, ingredients from the traditional Colada Morada, a cherished Ecuadorian drink associated with the Day of the Dead, overflow. (Though the recipe doesn’t call for lemons, their shape and color added to the composition—artistic liberty at work.)
To me, The Weight of Plenty represents the interplay between receiving and choosing. It draws from the young girl in my earlier work Tradición, now grown, empowered to decide how to handle what she’s been given. Perhaps she’ll add lemons to her life’s mix. This piece is as much about her agency as it is about the abundance itself. It reflects my mother’s sacrifices that gave abundant gifts, which instilled in me a profound sense of responsibility. Her actions inspire me to continue striving to be better—honoring what I’ve received while creating something for the next generation.
Abundance, I’ve realized, is not always something we see right away. Sometimes, it requires a shift in perspective, to stand on a bench, to imagine ourselves not as a clam, but as the universe itself. It’s there, waiting to be found. The question is: how will we recognize it? And what will we do with it when we do?
What dualities are you navigating in your life right now? How might embracing both sides of the coin lead to a richer, more expansive perspective?
I would love to hear your answers, please leave your comment below.