“Sunshine and Sparkles”

48H x 50W x 1.5D”

Oil on Linen, 2025

$14,400

Forrest Gearheard

Artist Statement:

My painting Sunshine and Sparkles connects deeply to the themes in Clumsy Beauty: The Destination, which explores self-determination and the significance of the journey itself, not just the endpoint. The vibrant glass vase, nestled within a cubie with abstract shapes and a painted sun, symbolizes the choices and moments that shape our path. The still life’s bright energy reflects the idea of finding the sparkles in life despite all its woes—reminding us that life’s beauty lies in the ongoing process, the light and sparkle in the space we inhabit. It affirms that the journey is as meaningful as the destination.

Forrest Gearheard is an artist with a BFA from Texas State University whose current series turns to large-format oil flower paintings that explore emotional dualities of joy and sorrow, beauty and tension. His work often reflects personal and historical observations of war, conflict, and military history as well as a specific period of his life as an active-duty infantry medic with a four year military career, which included a 13-month deployment to Afghanistan.