“Forged”, 70 cm x 100 cm , acrylic on paper, 2025, Tia Vellani. When I was painting Forged, I felt like I had opened the solid door into my fiery core. The theme that showed up was balance: molten heat against solid cold; and lightness against darkness, both physical and metaphorical. Balance shows up in the opposing colours, continuous and discrete elements, areas of texture or smoothness, and the division of space.

“Pieces”, 50 cm x 50 cm, acrylic paint and ink on paper, 2025, Tia Vellani. This painting is framed in black wood. It is about the times when things feel like they are coming together because that is how I felt when I was painting it.

“Freedom”, 70 cm x 100 cm, acrylic paint on paper, 2025, Tia Vellani. I had discovered a new painting tool when I made Freedom. It set me free and I painted with wild abandon and joy.