I found this image on Pinterest and saved it right away. It stood out, not just because it was striking, but because it felt real.

Two feet side by side: one in a neat satin pointe shoe, the other taped, bruised, and clearly carrying the actual effort.

When I started painting it, I thought I’d chosen it because it would be good practice. Something more detailed, something to get stuck into. The longer I worked on it, the more I realised why it had grabbed me. I’ve always been drawn to the grind that goes into the likes of ballet and gymnastics. Dancers and athletes that put everything into their passion, sacrificing their entire body for something they love so deeply.

There is so much that we don’t see, particularly in ballet. It’s the contrast. The version people see, and the version that does the work.

It reminded me a lot of ADHD masking. It’s like doing quiet extra work just to seem level with everyone else.

The quiet, automatic habit of appearing more collected, more organised, more “fine” than you actually feel. Just trying to replicate whatever “normal” you are around. Not pretending, just smoothing out the rough edges so you don’t stand out too much.

What really took hold of me was the ribbons, and the taped, exhausted parts underneath that most people never notice.

The painting also says something about the pressure to appear together even when your brain feels completely sideways. The instinct to compensate. To hide muddle with polish. To match the world’s rhythm even when yours is slightly off-beat.

Masking can be exhausting, but it also becomes second nature. A learned performance. Not dishonest, just a version of yourself that feels easier for other people to understand. Something we all do. Particularly in a world that is so busy, scary, so competitive and so “on” all of the time.

It’s a reminder that the work, the effort, the strain, the stuff we manage quietly, deserves to be acknowledged too. Even if it never looks as elegant as the outward version.

If this resonates, I’d love to hear from you ❤️

— M

My version of the original piece is almost done, and I’m pretty happy with how it’s turning out.