Awakening is a small oil painting, just 3 by 4 inches, capturing the nuances of a sunrise in the high country. The composition layers textured green hills in the foreground with distant mountains in muted blues and grays, creating depth that invites quiet reflection. Above, the sky shifts from pale blues to soft yellows and oranges near the horizon, conveying the moment when light takes hold and the day begins. I used thick, expressive brushstrokes to bring movement and volume to the landscape, focusing on the natural rhythm of light and form. This piece grew directly from the view at dawn, a moment of stillness and renewal that felt essential to hold onto.