Thought Shadows by Yvonne van Dalen

I drew this image Thought Shadows in a very specific phase of my life, when I felt completely overwhelmed by the cascade of changes manifesting. I learnt at that moment that I had started a new chapter in my life: perimenopause, a rollercoaster of emotions and physical sensations.

This woman, with her eyes closed, represents how I felt: trapped, anxious, afraid of the new that was to come.

But it also symbolises the good: how liberating it feels to let your thoughts run wild and be in the moment with your feelings, no matter how dark they sometimes are.

What a gift it is to be allowed to live this life as a woman. Each new chapter lets you grow, flourish, search, find, marvel, grumble, laugh, cry and all the other dimensions that life here on earth holds.

The woman has her eyes closed, shutting out the world around her, leaving her head open to let thoughts flow out. The dark hair and swirling thoughts full of blue are intertwined and almost indistinguishable.

I hope you like this work. XO, Yvonne.

This artwork is offered by Yvonne van Dalen

Yvonne van Dalen is a Dutch Analog and Digital Artist. With her work she spreads a message of positivity, creates awareness for mental health, sustainability and equal rights for all humans and animals.

Yvonne's work has been exhibited and published internationally, from Europe, the US, to South America and Africa. She developed her signature illustration style while working as a photographer, raising two kids, and after surviving depression. She now showcases her work on her socials, and sells her artwork in her online shops.

Yvonne has been featured on media outlets like Thrive Global, Brainz, Medium, Authority Mag, ImprovePhoto, and has been a guest on podcasts like The Entrepreneur Way and The Business of Photography. She lives in The Netherlands with her boyfriend and their two kids.

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