‘Out of Words 2’ is a giclee print of an original 11x14” watercolor painting expressing hope in a time of mourning. Part of a 3-painting series when I ran out of words, and my answer was to pray and to paint.

About the Series

This series came from thinking about recent news and the range of responses to the deep issues of prejudice this year that we faced in a more direct way. The responses include learning, thinking, protesting, speaking, conversing, giving, questioning, grieving, dismissing…only to name a few.

This year has been surprising, to say the least. Sometimes when I can’t put my experiences or thoughts into words, I paint. I’m mourning and longing, but always with hope. The flowers as center points of the compositions point to new life and to hope.

2 Dahlias: one of the meanings (also varies by color) is dignity. In a time I didn’t know what action to take, one thing I knew without a doubt was the dignity of every human being regardless of ability, experience, or appearance.

About the other two for context:

1 Camellias : one of the meanings (varies by color) is longing in Japanese “hanakotoba” (“flower words” = language of flowers). I, just like almost everyone else, am longing for peace and justice, even if I don’t immediately know how to respond or where to change.

3 Morning glories: one of the meanings is united. There are divisions everywhere we look, and some of those have become more apparent this year. This is another thing I long for, to be united to stand for the God-given dignity of every person.

If you look closely by the expressions, you’ll see little bodies attached. These are the body language of a variety of responses that I observed and some that I felt, but couldn’t necessarily put into words.

About the Prints

This archival art print is professionally printed in the Bay Area. The print is on matte, acid-free 340gsm 100% cotton fiber base material with the same texture as the original watercolor paper.

The measurements include the white edge so it can be framed with or without a mat/mount. Please contact me with any framing questions.

The print will be packaged flat in a clear sleeve with a backboard in a rigid mailer for protection to ensure it reaches you in perfect condition.

The print will be signed on the front and dated on the back.

All orders are shipped by USPS, and tracking can be provided upon request.

All work copyrighted © by Ema Kubo.