
A Work in Progress: This one is called MUSE. It's a 30" x 48" multi-media collaboration with my 2-year-old grandson, using acrylic paint and paint markers on canvas. I am tapping into my "toddler energy" and creating something beautiful! Follow along on Instagram, to see what it becomes, @theresekettman.
This painting emerged from the depths of an internal struggle that consumed me for months—nights spent awake, unraveling under the weight of pain that seemed to tear at the very fabric of my being and my life. Unable to find the words to express the turmoil within, the canvas became my sanctuary, a place to externalize and confront what was unspeakable.
Through this process, the painting became more than an expression; it was a mirror reflecting my pain, allowing me to mourn and accept it. Layer by layer, stroke by stroke, my heart began to heal. Surprisingly, even though my circumstances remained unchanged, my relationship with them transformed. Where I once felt powerless and voiceless, I rediscovered my strength, reclaimed my voice, and rekindled my hope.
To me, this painting encapsulates a journey of transformation. It is a story told in four chapters: Rejected - Pierced - Healing - A Victory Celebration.
Print Dimensions: 30 in x 48 in, unframed
Material: Mixed Media - acrylic paint and acrylic paint marker on a canvas board
July, 2024
Therese Kettman
Studio Owner
In 2021, I answered a long-silent call within me—the desire to create. It began with colors: letting them clash, collide, move, and flow side by side. The more I immersed myself in the process, the more I became lost in a world of boundless exploration. I discovered that I had been holding back, denying the inner tug to take a chance, to embrace freedom, to get gloriously messy. I realized something beautiful: I don’t need to know what the end will look like, because the real magic happens in the adventure of the 'in between.'
This journey has been all about taking a plunge—a leap into the unknown, into a new world of exploration:
A plunge into discovering my artist voice.
A plunge into building new connections and finding my creative community.
A plunge into recognizing my worth in simply being—giving and receiving.
A plunge into vulnerability, visibility, and courage to take risks.
A plunge into unfamiliar territory, like stepping into a foreign land where I don’t know the language or the cultural rules.
And so, here I go, stepping boldly into this adventure of creativity and transformation.
— Therese