this story began with someone else’s memory. i decided to paint through his eyes.
during typhoon rosing, power outage, (in the Philippines, we call it brownout) were common. when the storm became especially strong, electricity could disappear for days. there was no television to watch, no internet to scroll through, and nothing much to do except wait for the weather to pass.
outside the house, the trees bent under the force of the wind. one tree in particular became frightening, bending so violently that it seemed as though the storm might take it down.
but inside the house, the family played cards.
they found a way to make the frightening days feel lighter. they played games, stayed close, and kept each other company while the storm continued outside.
that is the memory i wanted to translate into a painting.
the perspective is from above, as if we are looking down into the home. from this view, the family becomes small against the vastness of the storm. the outside is dark, restless, and uncertain. the wind is strong enough to bend trees, shake windows, and turn an ordinary night into something frightening.
but inside, there is gold.
the gold represents warmth. it is the light of a home where people are gathered, where laughter still exists, where love becomes something practical and present. at the center of the painting is a family playing cards, doing something simple while the world outside becomes difficult.
i think there is something sacred about that kind of ordinary joy.
the storm does not disappear. the family is not protected from fear simply because they are together. but their togetherness gives the fear a limit. it reminds them that there is still something beautiful within their reach.
for me, this painting is also about marriage and the strength of two people choosing each other under God.
not a love that exists only when life is peaceful, but a love that becomes a shelter when life is not. the kind of union that builds a home strong enough to hold joy, fear, uncertainty, and faith all at once.
outside, there will always be storms.
there will be forces we cannot control, seasons that test us, and nights when the world feels too loud. but there is no greater force than the joy of a family united by God, held together by the daily decision to love, stay, and choose one another.
from above, the house may look small.
but inside it is an entire world.
a table. a deck of cards. a family. a little laughter.
and a warmth strong enough to withstand the storm.