"A Study in Grief" was created in early 2025 while I was processing the grief of my mother's sudden death. This piece depicts a sorrowful woman with a cardinal (bird) on her shoulder. The cardinal, representing a loved one trying to contact you from beyond, is a recurring symbol in much of my recent work exploring loss. The original was created on a 24"x48" stretched canvas, using acrylic paint, acrylic ink, and POSCA® markers.