Two profound experiences shaped my personal style of abstract painting and to my surprise, self-realization. First, the introduction to Zen brush painting served as a necessary departure from my disciplined, tight letter forms of calligraphy -- opening my writing hand, heart and no-mind to birth my unique style of loose, gestural painting. Therapy further catapulted my new form of creativity alongside life changing emotional transformations that unburdened what seemed like a lifetime of heaviness and unhappiness, thus began the awakening of my life purpose as woman, artist and citizen. Homage to this year is the “The Heim Women - a primal release painting.” The story about its creation can be read on the Birth History page.