1040 x 1040mm

You gotta be real, you gotta be honest You gotta stand by her side and always defend her She needs to be loved, loved, loved, yeah you gotta do right by a woman You gotta be strong, you gotta be tender

Tender is a look into the emotion of tenderness and the different meanings of the word, which can be seen in positive or negative ways. When I wrote the song in Nashville, I was thinking about how much the world needs more sensitive men who know how to treat women with tenderness, and how important it is to be teaching our sons how to be tender. As I painted, the artwork surprised me, the blue over the softer pink started reflecting the darker side of tender (hurt) in parts. It then moved to the more loving, hopeful and vibrant side of tenderness in others. The work honours those sensitive and vulnerable parts in all of us. Hot pink brings powerful feminine energy, unyielding love, and hope. When we come together from a place of pure love, anything is possible.