Courage 

Editor: So, here we have "Courage" by Sarah Joncas, an acrylic painting presenting a portrait. I'm struck by the butterfly; it feels like a really deliberate and beautiful symbol, but what's she trying to say, placing it right there? What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, you’re right, the butterfly does grab you. And I feel this portrait really delves into a sort of quiet bravery. You notice that butterfly perched right at her heart? It's a monarch, known for its incredible journey of migration, right? Could that be symbolic? Perhaps Joncas wants us to think about the courage it takes to transform, to take flight. Editor: Transformation...like a metaphor for personal growth, maybe? And that contrail in the background, almost disappearing? Curator: Exactly! That wisp of a contrail – could be a hint of past journeys, things left behind. It makes you wonder what this woman has overcome, what she’s aiming towards. It is quite Romantic, isn't it? The gaze is very direct; that sense of stillness makes me want to ponder this subject's journey and perhaps even my own. The butterfly isn't just ornamentation. I’d bet my beret it’s the crux of the piece. Editor: I love how the coolness of her green plaid offsets the butterfly. I see it differently now, less literal, more... aspirational. Curator: Aspirational, yes. The beauty of a piece like this is the layered interpretation, inviting introspection each time we consider it.