‘Fuchsia Lights’, Finding Stillness in My Secret Garden.

‘Fuchsia Lights’ - Acrylic paint on canvas.

There are seasons in life where everything feels loud, where the world pulls at you from every direction, and even the things you love start to feel a little heavier than they should. ‘Fuchsia Lights’ was born out of one of those seasons for me. I kept finding myself craving stillness, beauty and that soft, quiet space where I could breathe again and reconnect with God and with myself.

I’ve always believed that we all carry a kind of “secret garden” inside us, a place we can return to when life gets overwhelming. A place where inspiration feels easy and our inner world finally has room to speak. Sometimes this is a beautiful physical space maybe in nature that can be retreated to and maybe other times simply closing your eyes and dropping into your bliss from wherever you are in that moment you need it. It is found from intentionally quieting the noise in my mind and meditating on goodness and beauty, allowing this state to bring transformation and peace. This painting is my way of visually honouring that sacred pause and immersion in a ‘secret garden’.

In the scene, a girl sits by a pool of shimmering, still water, completely present, completely at peace. She’s reading, which I intended as a metaphor for receiving fresh downloads and renewal. I painted the glowing trees and flowers above her to symbolise those moments of clarity and gentle insight that seem to bloom only when we slow down enough to notice them. You know those feelings that come during prayer, journaling, or just being quiet for a moment? The soft nudges, the lightbulb moments, the peace that suddenly settles? That’s what these fuchsia lights are intended to represent.

The water in the painting is a nod to a scripture I love from Psalm 23:2, which says, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters" which reminds me of God's guidance, provision, and care I see so often in my life, and feel most connected to when I take my time to be still and connect. For me, that has always been less about the physical place and more about the state of my soul. When I spend time with God in the quiet, it really does feel like He sits beside me and fills my heart with fresh water again.

There’s also another ethereal figure in the background watering a garden, a reminder that your inner world needs to be watered and spiritual/ emotional tending is ongoing. Growth doesn’t happen by accident. Our inner world flourishes when we intentionally care for it, just as we care for anything we hope to see blossom.

And then there’s the glowing doorway. That part is important to me. It represents the moment we step back into the world, into reality, responsibilities, relationships, all of it, but with a renewed sense of light. Because taking time in that secret place isn’t about escaping life, it’s about returning to it fuller, brighter, and more grounded.

Painting this piece felt like spending time in the very space it represents. It reminded me that rest isn’t indulgent, it’s essential. That stillness isn’t wasted time, it’s where some of our most meaningful insights come from. And that God often speaks the loudest in the quietest places.

I hope ‘Fuchsia Lights’ brings a you little beautiful pause, and a reminder to seek out your own secret garden often, even if just for a moment. You deserve that space. Your soul needs it. And when you return, you’ll carry something new and luminous with you.

With love,

Kiara-Bella

‘Fuchsia Lights’ from my secret garden.

The finishing touches.