Confessions Of A Polymath

How I turned hatred into something artsy and joyful!

It all began with a painting called All Shapes, Sizes, Colors, Layers, and Orientations. Within a short time of being displayed at an online gallery in Paris, this vibrant 36” x 48” piece found a home with a collector in Belgium.

This series took shape far away in my Northern Michigan studio, where I create as an artist and writer surrounded by sparkling lakes, lush forests, and thriving wildlife. The natural beauty lifts my spirits every day. But in 2025, an increased stream of loud negativity from U.S. political figures and news outlets about the LGBTQ+ community and groups who might appear different began to seep into my thoughts, causing sadness and anger in my heart and unsettling the peace I found in my surroundings.

It felt as if relentless waves of hatred were being hurled like poison out of the mouths of U.S. political leaders and influential news networks against certain groups of people. I have always enjoyed my friendships with people of different shapes, sizes, colors, layers, and orientations. To me, no group stands above another. In the end, we all share the same fate. We are all threads in the fabric of humanity.

Here is the online gallery description I gave to this painting:

In a time when DIVERSITY continues to be a political dirty word here in the USA, I poured vibrant energy into every brushstroke, celebrating the beautiful chaos of diversity. Using acrylics and a large canvas, I expressed a universe where shapes and colors dance with interconnected joy. This artwork radiates dynamic harmony, inviting your space to pulse with life and inclusivity, reminding us all that UNITY THRIVES IN VIBRANT DIFFERENCES. All my friends come in different shapes, sizes, colors, layers, and orientations. I love them all!

My artistic goal was to take the hatred and falsehoods and, through an abstract work of art, capture our differences and show humanity celebrating its diversity.

I knew the painting wouldn’t cure the problem, but its images would dance and sing with awareness and hope.

All Shapes, Sizes, Colors, Layers, and Orientations, 36” x 48” Sold to a collector in beautiful Belgium.

Doing this became popular because the second painting below was a commission. The buyer wanted a similar painting in a smaller size, with different colors, after seeing a photo of All Shapes, Sizes, Colors, Layers, and Orientations.

Commissioned by a buyer in lovely Northville, Michigan.

I enjoy commissions. The client asked if the painting could be designed to fit in with the room’s stone fireplace and match the carpeting and other favorite colors and items.

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Then came CELEBRATING DIVERSITY, which was sold by a gallery in France and got shipped to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Celebrating Diversity, 30” x 36”

And then another commission followed. The owner of this painting, who lives in the heart of Texas, bought Diversity Dancing and then asked me to do two more paintings by October 2026.

For the first commission, she wanted one in this series in a larger size. For the second one, she wanted a quirky, fun painting from Day 84 of my book, 100 Days Of Happy Happy Art: Evidence-Based Design.

Bubbling With Greenie Happiness, DAY 84 from my book.

Click on the book image for book details.

Diversity Dancing, 18” x 18”

Here I am having a bit of fun as I stand in front of another painting, HUMANITY IS DIVERSITY. It is a 6’ x 9’ canvas, still for sale, and can be resized.

I intentionally created this work on a large scale to emphasize—in a super big, happy way—the message that humanity is amazing because of its diversity.

This painting is in the Route 66 international curation by Zoe MN in France. According to the curation’s theme, the message is: "As the trip unfolds, a complex America emerges, both luminous and melancholic."

If you would like to see this painting in detail, click on any of the photos.

Celebrating in front of the painting “Humanity Is Diversity.”

Humanity Is Diversity, 72” x 108”

Humanity Is Diversity, 72” x 108”

Humanity Is Diversity, 72” x 108”

Sometimes you just have to speak up (and I can speak through art).

I cannot say this loudly and often enough:

“All my friends come in different shapes, sizes, colors, layers, and orientations. I LOVE THEM ALL!”

These are unfinished new works below. To make things even more DIVERSE, I decided to include more in this series, using different background colors. Here they are as works in progress. They will be completed and on my website, dorotheasandraart.com, in the next couple of weeks.

They are full of fun and full of LOVE! They are designed to make people smile—NOT CREATE HATE.

Work in progress, 20”x20”

Work in progres, 20”x20”