This piece grew out of thinking about how people learn to protect the parts of themselves that have been hurt. Over time we build layers that feel like armor, and sometimes it becomes second nature to hide behind it. While working on this piece, I kept coming back to the idea that even with all that protection, the heart underneath is still present and still sensitive to the world around it.

For me, Armored Heart is a reminder that strength and softness are not opposites. They shape each other, and both deserve room to exist.