My second pond study, 3 years from my first. I was at a very different place in my life, a time where I achieved the peace I so desperately wanted in “A Quiet Serenity.” It was also at a time where I was feeling much more joy in my life than I was, and I had many opportunities awaiting me in the near future. The bright pinks, purples, and oranges in the upper left corner of the painting symbolize a cautious optimism about brighter things to come.