“My name is Aaron Soto and I am a Wichita-Falls based artist.

This work is a collection of oil paintings that reflects upon a year of hardship. The figures within represent my struggles with self-doubt and criticism and the hindrance they are to success. Painted in their hues of purples, pinks and greens, they carry the symbolism of renewal that the garden represents.

The garden in question was built by my husband and I in our backyard. We constructed the bed, excavated the soil, planted the seeds, and delighted in the colorful blooms that followed. We found solace in tending the garden following the deaths of two of our beloved dogs. Though the garden eventually succumbed to the summer heat, it had cultivated in me a new perspective.

The centerpiece of this garden depicts a woman clinging to an image of herself. Though balanced, she remains tethered in place, unable to take a step in the opposite direction and grasping at empty space. This piece and its companions explore the challenges of personal growth and transformation”