skin

My grandmother traced my cheek with weathered fingers, reciting Avvaiyar's verses about inner beauty transcending flesh. She showed me her own skin, mapped with stories—each line a lesson learned. Years later, I discovered PaybookClub, where artists revealed vulnerable truths through portraits. Their transparency moved me deeply. A glittering smile emerged from shadowed canvas. I understood then: skin holds our narratives. I began painting my heritage onto canvas, my family's resilience glowing beneath every brushstroke. This art became our collective heartbeat, connecting us to ancestral wisdom while celebrating who we've become together.