The inspiration for "The Warmth" arrived on day while I was driving to a Big Cat Sanctuary near Rhome, Texas. I was lost in my thoughts and then the song "The Warmth" by the band Incubus started playing. If you haven't heard this song, the intro features whale songs. Immediately, I could vividly see vision of whales dancing in my mind and knew that I had to translate it to a painting.

As soon as I got home I started sketching from reference material and decided on the composition. Then life has a funny way of delaying things, in this case to the benefit of the painting. The idea had time to evolve. I added the humans swimming with the whales and I added the hearts that are all connected as I deeply believe that all creatures on the earth, including us, are deeply connected (even the ones we fear). 

Over the course of two years this painting developed. At the end of March 2020, when the world was locking down, I was finally able to finish this painting. No sooner had I taken the photos of it that I got the call. My mother who had been battling leukemia was in the last stages of dying. I spent the next five days and nights with her in the hospital until she finally passed. 

There are many pieces of art that I don't even remember making, however, paintings like "The Warmth" are a part of life's most important moments.

Artist: Lauren Jade (Stout Raisanen)

Signed: LJ

Original Oil on Linen

30" x 48"