In summer 2024, I began my swan series, which continued until around December 2025. During this time, over 90 swan paintings emerged. For me, this series represents an archetypal journey toward discovering one's own inner worth—carried by a question many of us know all too well: that inner struggle with feelings of inadequacy.

That voice saying, "Stay small." I know it well too; it was very loud throughout my childhood and followed me well into adulthood. But outer circumstances eventually forced me to confront it. So began my transformation—away from the thought "Who do you think you are? You're worthless!", toward a person who recognized her own value and slowly, steadily built genuine, lived confidence.

The first painting of this series marked a major turning point in my life. For the very first time, my worth was acknowledged; for the very first time, I found myself in an environment where I could be fully myself—accepted and, even more, respected for who I am. It reminded me of the story of the ugly duckling, who finally grew his white feathers and was admired for them. But for me, this also meant not compromising who I was just to be liked—rather, acting authentically and standing by myself.

Countless more swan paintings followed, nearly a hundred. With the last one (see below), I felt that I no longer wanted to paint swans. I did paint a few floral pieces, but somehow they couldn't quite captivate me. And while four or five more swan paintings emerged in recent months, I sense that this era is now slowly coming to an end.