Twisted Rose

Mac

2018

Oil and acrylic on canvas

120 x 60cm

Twisted Rose was inspired by Mac’s story. He suffered childhood abuse, and after therapy described himself as feeling like “A twisted rose, growing out of the dark into the light, but still carrying the scars of his past”. Mac gave his permission to his therapist David Murphy to publish transcripts from his treatment. Andy chose Mac’s metaphor as the title for the exhibition as it seemed to him to sum up much about PTSD and recovery. The past cannot be undone or erased from the memory, but it is possible for people can learn to accept and give meaning to their experiences, and ultimately start to recover and grow.