Shedding the Old Skin

There’s a moment in growth that feels uncomfortable. Tight. Constricting. Like you’ve outgrown something but haven’t yet stepped fully into what’s next. That’s the energy behind this painting: Shedding the Old Skin.

This iguana carries fire. Not the explosive kind, but the steady, solar kind. The kind that warms slowly, builds quietly, and refuses to go out. As I worked on this piece, layering greens against a dark background and pulling warmth into the throat and underbelly, I kept thinking about instinct. About the dreamer. About the subtle inner voice that doesn’t shout, but never stops speaking.

The Iguana Spirit is instinctual. Sensitive to the subtle. A dreamer with endurance.

And sometimes, that sensitivity is both a gift and a burden.

An Iguana Named Lestat

I have always loved reptiles.  I would tell myself that when I moved out of my parents home and had a place of my own, I would get a reptile. That opportunity came when I was in my second year of university – I adopted an iguana from a family who could no longer care for him.  I named him Lestat – after the character from Interview with a Vampire.

At this point in my life I was at university, studying Arts and Contemporary Studies with a minor in law.  I loved my art history and social science classes but it lacked the hands-on creative connection that drew me to art.

This was a time when the only art path promoted to students was that of the “starving artist” and you should probably think of a different career path because only the top 0.01% of artists actually make enough money to survive.

Eventually I dropped out of university, took Lestat, and sought a different path.

The Iguana Spirit and the Element of Fire

We don’t usually associate reptiles with fire in the dramatic sense. But iguanas live by the sun. They draw power from heat. They conserve energy with discipline. They wait. And when the time is right, they move with precision.

That is fire energy in its refined form.

The Iguana Spirit teaches us that true power doesn’t thrash. It doesn’t waste energy. It observes. It measures. It responds.

It took me 20 long years past dropping out of university to rekindle the flame for my artwork.  While painting this piece, I was able to think back on memories and moments that needed to be observed, processed, and let go.  Something I was unable to do at the time.

In this painting, the ember tones in the chest and jaw hint at that internal flame. It is controlled, steady, and patient. This is the fire of long-term vision. The fire of the artist who keeps going even when no one is watching.

Fire transforms. It purifies. It demands change.

But it is patient and waits for you to be ready.

Sensitive to the Subtle: The Sixth Sense

If you resonate with iguana energy, you likely feel everything.

The undercurrents in a room. The shift in tone during a conversation. The unspoken tension. The possibility before it materializes. It’s almost a sixth sense, and it is an incredible gift.

But it can wear you down.

Big crowds. Travel. Bright lights. Overstimulation. Constant input. These things drain the nervous system of someone who is deeply attuned. The Iguana Spirit reminds us that retreat is not weakness. Pulling back from the noise is not failure.

Sometimes you need to return to warmth. To stillness. To your inner artist.

Shedding: Embracing Change Without Losing the Core

Reptiles shed because they must grow.

The old skin becomes too tight. Too restrictive. Staying in it would mean stagnation.

Change is not betrayal of your past. It’s evolution. And sometimes it allows you to see something you have missed.

Iguanas literally climb above their surroundings to assess from a better angle. That’s strategy. That’s intelligence.  Sometimes you feel like quitting, but really you are just getting a higher vantage point.

The Dreamer Who Must Take Action

Dreaming is sacred. But dreaming alone isn’t enough.

Fire demands movement.

This painting feels like a full-circle moment for me. The young woman who dreamed of being an artist. The shifts of life and experiences. The years of learning, working, growing. The quiet return to the canvas.

The dream never left. It smoldered.

And eventually, it demanded action again.