The portrait is of my mom, Melanie. The painting is part of a portrait series portraying women in their most vulnerable state while expressing the word "embrace" in their pose. The plant in the background serves as a personal connection to the subject. The plant represents a piece of home, which is why the name of my mom's birthplace is part of the title. The portrait explores how the diaspora affects different generations, and how we use nature to reconnect us to nostalgic places and ground us in the present.

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