The Beetle — Shadow and Light

This piece is meant to reflect the light — a balance while I work on two very large paintings inspired by the lyrics of my dear friend Andy Lapegua. These pieces are larger than anything I’ve attempted before and ask me to go deep into my shadow. I’m both nervous and excited, as they will greatly challenge me. Teasers to come, and more of the creative process to share.

In the meantime, this piece explores the symbolism of the beetle.

Traditionally, the beetle represents transformation, resilience, and growth. It is a creature of renewal, turning what has decayed into something that can nourish new life. But I also wanted to explore its shadow — because we cannot fully understand the light without acknowledging the darkness.

The beetle’s shadow is its armor — the protective shell we build around ourselves after being wounded. Beetles live among compost and decay, transforming what is broken into something fertile. Yet when we remain too long in our own darkness, we risk hiding behind our defenses, clinging to our suffering rather than allowing it to transform us.

For me, the beetle asks an important question:

Do we carry our experiences as fuel for growth, or as weight that keeps us tied to the past?

This piece lives in that tension between shadow and light, between protection and vulnerability, between holding on and becoming.