Seen and Heard : Kirsten Piroth : Dappled Light, Fleeting Time

25 x 25", oil on canvas

“Dappled Sunlight, Fleeting Time”

Color, and all its wonderful hues, is a core element of my work—my paintings are vibrant and bursting with life. Inspiration comes from everyday moments: people, plants, patterns in nature, quirky photos, and the play of light and shadow. 

The piece I’ve submitted, “Dappled Light, Fleeting Time”, was inspired by a quiet moment at my desk in my garden office. In my day job as a program evaluator, I found myself daydreaming and watching the shadows shift as the sun lowered. This fleeting moment of watching the changing light resonated with me, a moment in time where my two lives collided, and I took the photo which later became this painting.

The word fleeting has come to hold a deep meaning for me. In 2018, my mum, Verity, passed away after a battle with Alzheimer’s. She was only 72. I also have four children, and as they grow and become these wonderful beings, I find myself cherishing their childhoods, missing their younger selves, and reflecting on how life passes quickly.

This painting captures a moment of shifting light, a reflection of time moving constantly, reminding us to appreciate the present before it slips away.