#platter

2023. Olive branch 🫒

A lot of my pieces have deeper meaning, but I usually don't share them. This one I will though.

A Palestinian friend of mine requested that I paint this a few years ago. She's always been vocal about the pain and strength of her people, ever since I met her in 2007. When she requested this in 2023, she spoke of her family that remain there and the fear of their old olive groves being burned to the ground. Every year, her family would send her olive oil from their harvest to use throughout the year. From what I hear, it is the best in the world. Incomparable. She wanted me to paint this to continue to bring awareness to the Palestinian people and their ongoing fight.

While painting this piece, I thought about sharing bread and olive oil with friends and strangers. Through both happy and difficult times. Yearning for the world to be a better, more hopeful place. Abundance and peace hopefully waiting for us all, just around the corner. 🕊️

All of this just to say:

Türkiye Platter 🇹🇷