Find your light

I wanted to capture the interplay between darkness and light, both external and internal. The work emerged from a profound personal experience—a serious bicycle accident that left me with two broken elbows.

I confronted the darkness within my mind during my recovery. This time demanded complete surrender, as I became entirely care dependent. This vulnerability revealed a deeper truth: while darkness can feel overwhelming, it also provides a backdrop for the light we can cultivate from within.

The physical challenge of opening a bottle of wine in the middle of the night, with both arms in plaster and a straw that was too short, became a poignant metaphor for my search for solace in temporary escapes. It illustrated how fleeting comforts are not true solutions. Instead, I discovered that hope can flourish in the light of self-discovery and acceptance. Time-traveling in my mind to extraordinary memories from my journeys around the world became my light, transforming me into a wanderer in my own head.

This is a reminder that we have the power to be our own light, even in the darkest times.

What would be your light if you sat in that chair?

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Merel MAY is a Dutch fine-artist specialised in working with oil paint. Inspiration flows from nature, and Merel MAY’s art aims to uncover the unseen — the glimmers of beauty that often go unnoticed or the thought-provoking elements that leave the viewer contemplating. Driven by creativity and curiosity, Merel’s life is a journey of discovery and exploring uncharted territories (e.g. new styles, and techniques). This journey led her to the breathtaking Bunurong Land*/the Mornington Peninsula, southeast of Melbourne, Australia, where she finds a rich source of inspiration.