Goodbye Old Friend

My series looks back to the 1920s, when women stepped into trousers, lit cigarettes, and challenged expectations. Marlene Dietrich’s iconic presence influenced the mood of these pieces. One of the women in my paintings is caught in a difficult moment—smoking her last cigarette, bending as though it hurts to say goodbye. I know that feeling: I quit 18 years ago, and it changed my life. This work is my tribute to both the freedom smoking once symbolized and the freedom in leaving it behind. 

Size: 50x70cm

Medium: Oil paint