Painting to Resolve Trauma

Turning a trigger into a triumph

The Mask is Behind Me — Self Portrait, Karen Espig, oil on canvas, 15 x 30 inches

In my 20+ years of painting, I have completed a few works that I consider pivotal. They either reveal a technical or stylistic evolution in my work; or they portray a defining moment or revelation.

One such work is a self-portrait, The Mask is Behind Me, which I completed in early 2020. It is part of the series of works on the theme of healing from trauma…