Finding the Beauty in Imperfection

Alyssa Monks, a supremely talented painter who's perhaps best known for her realist art that frequently combines portraiture with water, considers how her work changed after her mother's passing in her speech on loss.

Before her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer, Alyssa Monks perfected her photo-real style, which allowed her to establish a profitable career. After her mother's passing however, she was left without the woman who inspired her and she no longer felt comfortable in the safe space she had developed for herself. When she attempted to continue, she ended up with a blurred watery image, something much different from the style she once identified herself with.

However, while trying to bring back her passion, Alyssa Monks discovered a newfound sense of freedom by embracing imperfection. With her speech on loss, Alyssa Monks considers the value of emotional turbulence, which "happens in a space where there's no resisting or controlling." She tells her audience to try and connect to the vulnerability they're sure to experience at these times and let themselves be human.