Originals

"Making it Through" By Catherine Holtzhausen 2024

In my recent collection of work, Making it Through, I explore the delicate yet profound journey of finding light in the depths of darkness. This series was born out of my personal experience with a depressive episode, during which I found myself staring into the seemingly banal simplicity of my garden—particularly the neglected plants and abandoned bird feeder. These seemingly mundane elements became symbolic of the stagnation I felt.

A simple act—placing bird seed in the forgotten feeder—became a turning point in this experience. Over days and weeks, the arrival of birds, gradually returning, mirrored the small yet significant moments of renewal that began to punctuate the darkness. 

The flickering of those birds’ wings became a metaphor for the gradual lifting of the weight of darkness. Each tiny flutter, each moment of life, was a slow but persistent reminder that even in the bleakest times, there are small, unexpected forces—helping hands, glimmers of hope—that can guide us toward light.

As the birds brought colour and life to the space, so too did the surrounding environment. The trees that once seemed barren began to brighten, as if they too were touched by the presence of vitality. This metamorphosis, though slow, marked a profound shift from desolation to recovery.

Making it Through serves as both a personal meditation and a broader commentary on the resilience of life in moments of extreme difficulty. Through these works, I aim to explore how seemingly insignificant actions, like offering birdseed or observing the natural world, can serve as conduits for emotional and psychological recovery. This series acknowledges the small yet powerful forces that guide us through moments of darkness and emphasizes the importance of holding on to fleeting moments of hope, no matter how distant or difficult they may seem.