Columns represent strength; they hold something up. The column displaying my painting entitled Valor connects important elements, inviting the viewer to interact with the painting through a 3-D experience. Because of its cylinder form, the column also portrays unity, or continuity.
The Valor column, which displays my painting of Toni and her child, represents the bond between a mother and her child. At the same time—since the entire painting cannot be viewed from any one vantage point—the column also creates tension by highlighting the distance between the two figures. This distance symbolizes Toni’s story.
For without any warning, war separated Toni and her daughter. Soldiers swept through her village, killing her husband; in the midst of the horror, Toni and her daughter were separated. When I learned about Toni and her story, I was struck by her tremendous valor.
Toni must grieve and move forward with her life without knowing what happened to her daughter. This amazes me. Toni’s strength of character holds up something higher than mere positive thinking. Her live exemplifies a rare inner stability. Although soldiers destroyed her family, they couldn’t break down her resolve and steal her peace. After hearing Toni’s story, I could not escape the painful question: “What am I made of?”
“Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.”
Michel de Montaigne
NOTE: Seven foot pillar shown above on right includes giclée on canvas reproduction of Valor. Valor, Pamela Alderman, watercolor on paper, 58×44 inches, 2012.
