"Liya Ella Raspberry, artist at work in her studio, painting vibrant faces as part of her new creative series. The image captures the authenticity and passion of her process."

"A Smile That Says It All – Or Does It?"

Smiles — a universal symbol of joy, beauty, and connection — are among the most cherished human gestures. We offer them to strangers, to children, even to ourselves in the mirror. But how often is a smile truly honest?

In our world, a smile is almost expected — it softens, attracts, and reassures. Yet often, it serves as a mask. A quiet disguise that hides pain, fear, or emotional emptiness. A beautiful armor protecting a fragile heart.

"Liya Ella Raspberry, artist at work in her studio, painting vibrant faces as part of her new creative series. The image captures the authenticity and passion of her process."

This idea became deeply personal for me.
Before a dear friend left the country, he handed me a letter — and a drawing of a zebra.
A zebra, like the one that often appears in my work, but this one wore a sad face. To comfort me, he added a smile to it.

"Original drawing of the zebra from the letter that inspired the creation of the 'It Came Out a Bit Sad So I Put on a Smile' series. The drawing depicts the zebra with a smile, as a response to pain and the process of coping with deep emotions."

That drawing stayed with me. It whispered: "Smile, even when it hurts."
It was not an invitation to fake my feelings — but to find resilience within them.

Since then, I've found myself thinking about what a smile truly means.
Is it an honest expression? A shield? A way to move forward when words are too heavy?

My new works, part of the
Pop Art Critical: Fake or Real collection,
explore this fragile intersection — where authenticity and survival meet.

"A new addition to the 'Shadows' series, where the smile from the 'It Came Out a Bit Sad So I Put on a Smile' series seeps into the artwork. The image features four portraits with smiles, reflecting the complexity of emotions."

I believe smiling through pain isn’t about lying. It’s about living. It’s about acknowledging the complexity of being human, where sadness and strength coexist.

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Because sometimes, even a trembling smile carries a truth deeper than words.

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