The Olympics is a great showcase for how the mind can uplift or sabotage. Sabotage in the case of Ilia Malinin, the “Quad God,” who fell several times during his figure skating competition at the Winter 2026 Olympics. I felt so bad for him. The only consolation was seeing other athletes be there for him when the “mind” and “will” do not cooperate. In that same Olympics, uplift in the case of Alysa Liu whose figure skating free skate was pure joy. You could tell that she was enjoying everything- the moment, the performance, and she was doing it “as her art.”
The nightly view of dedicated, determined individuals provoked thoughts about ego, true self, and what one brings to others during his/her time on earth. How does the ego play into performance versus your “true self?” Alysa seemed to have moved past the ego with respect to figure skating. Having retired once and coming back on her own terms, retaining control over her diet, choreography, and other items. The “break” in her journey served her well. The “skating as fortifying” showed. It could not be hidden. Then, I reflected on Lindsey Vaughn’s downhill skiing crashes. Refusing to quit, ignoring the pain, she attempted to ski at an Olympic level with a torn ACL. In the end, she almost lost her leg. After surgery, she was quoted as redefining what success looks like for her. It made me wonder about my definition of success both in what I currently put my efforts toward and what I have put my efforts toward in the past.
Relating these thoughts back to the drawing, as I drew and grew, the meaning changed. The person could be being torn down or could be being put back together. The items falling on the needles can build or trigger. The environment can be light or dark, textured or flat, complex or simple, adversarial or supportive. The art and meaning are in the Individual seeing and interpreting through the lenses they wear.
