The subject of the work, Fred, is a fellow artist and a florist. In this painting, he is in the midst of heartbreak, gazing wistfully at the flowers on the table thinking about his ex-lover. Valentine captures his emotions while subtly conveying her poetic understanding of love, pain and relationships.

“Relationships can be the hardest thing to walk away from, they are like a drug in some way. As Alfred Tennyson once said, ‘it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’ Suffering is an important part of life and I believe it deepens our spiritual experiences as well as strengthening our resolve. Sometimes I think it’s good to see yourself shatter so that when you build yourself back up, you know the very fine pieces that made you. Although Fred’s heart aches and there is a sense of emptiness, there’s also an element of hope in his expression. I believe love will be better, perhaps better than before, if we allow it.” (Olivia Valentine)