Digital Painting-2021 My inspiration for this painting began with the quote “They Tried to Bury Us, They Didn’t Know We Were Seeds” by the Greek poet Dinos Christianopoulos. “The quote itself is a metaphor for the cause and effect relations of the oppressed and oppressors. In this case, the seeds represent the oppressed, and the “they” referred to symbolizes the oppressors. It is logical then to understand why the oppressors would be trying to bury the oppressed, it is a seize of power and a nod to the hierarchy of social and political power. However, like seeds, the oppressed will simply rise up when [buried]. In other words, the activism of the oppressed can not be repressed because the more they are attacked, the more they will just continue to spring back up again, and like a nasty weed, they will come back stronger and larger than ever before.”@smilingtimes These powerful words started to form imagery in my mind of a vulnerable figure pushed into the dark earth, only to transform into the creator of change and healing. It can be noted that the Protea flower symbolizes courage and transformation, and the begonia flower is a symbol of connection and harmonious communication.