Session 4
48in x 36in
Oil on pressed wood board
2025
$3,500
You learn at a young age how to fake a smile. It becomes a protective barrier, softening any suspicion that you might be unhappy. I got to the point where I would practice enjoying things that brought me nothing but dissatisfaction. There were no dramatic moments, just the quiet pressure of living in a restrictive environment that made the fake smile feel normal. I learned early on that if you look happy all the time, no one questions anything. It became the greatest barrier between me and my real feelings.