Just Before the Kiss captures a fleeting moment of childhood curiosity and delight. A girl peers through a translucent Mickey-shaped lollipop, her lips drawn in anticipation and her softened gaze transforming a simple treat into a lens of imagination.
A luminous teal background—woven throughout the painting—creates harmony and calm, allowing the figure to emerge with quiet strength and gentle playfulness. The color evokes openness and possibility, reinforcing the sense of wonder held in that suspended moment, just before action, just before joy.
Expressive brushwork and subtle color shifts invite the viewer to linger, recalling a time when delight was instinctive and the world felt full of small magic.
Photo reference by Yaqing Wei via Unsplash.
Availability:
This original work will be  part of the 100 Faces gallery exhibition in March, 2027. Private reservations are now being accepted, with acquisition available following the close of the show. Inquiries are warmly welcomed.