DESCRIPTION: 30 x 40" acrylic painting on canvas made by Leah Nadeau in September 2026.
INSPIRATION: I was afraid to leave empty space in my paintings for a long time.
I wanted to fill every inch with color, shapes, and lines. There was something comforting in making the canvas as busy as my mind tends to be. Lately, I have been trying to give things space.
Technicolor Twirl started with a rich brown gradient that gradually faded into orange and then yellow. I then began adding small brushstrokes and shapes that resembled confetti, which appeared to dance across the canvas. The more I worked, the less I thought about where it was headed. I just got lost in it.
Panting has always been a way to translate things I can't quite get into words. While making this one life felt heavy. I didn’t want to make a painting about that heaviness. I wanted to create the antidote to it.
I kept thinking about a party or vacation, those moment when you forget what time it is, or the burdens of life. When you are not thinking about all the things you have to carry, even for just a moment.
I wanted Technicolor Twirl to feel like seeing color after living in a world of black and white. Hard things don’t go away, but joy is always there to be found right beside them. I’m always looking for little reminders to find joy even when things feel impossible. This painting signifies finding hope even in the times when life feels dark, and trusting in the fact that life will always get better. Technicolor Twirl is an anthem, that things will feel like you’re in a world of technicolor again.
