These two very small, powerful words resonated with me. Usually the negative brain kicks in and words like ‘not enough’ or ‘unloved’ steal the limelight. But what if I filled that little gap with words like ‘beautiful’ or ‘complete’ or even ‘goddess’? Step aside negative mind and let the positive mind through. It was in that moment this series of powerful women started to pour through me as if I was downloading data through my paintings. Every girl has their own story, their own challenge, their own warrior marks to emphasize the battle scars life has thrown at them. As you look into their eyes you may find a shared experience, may feel their emotion, their loss, their sorrow. I cried real tears as these girls poured out of me, all of them me in some way. I felt their war against themselves and heard their stories. As an artist full of self-doubt, I had always been told I would never paint faces as my work was proportionally incorrect and soulless. When I completed the sentence I AM with the words ‘a creative adventurer’ my perspective shifted and my series of the I AM girls was ignited. Just imagine how your reality might shift with just one small word.