{"product_id":"the-burdens","title":"The Burdens","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Burdens \u003c\/em\u003eis an original painting by artist Alex Bodishbaugh King. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e36x48 inches, oil on gallery wrapped canvas. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLate summer 2024, I checked out a stack of vintage coffee table books from the public library, searching for original inspiration. One of them was a 1965 Vogue Homes and Gardens book that still had the old card catalog ticket tucked inside the front cover. I became fascinated by an article about a young couple called The Burdens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir home was bold and striking—drenched in primary colors (my favorite palette), with red curtains that felt like they were begging to be painted. But more than the interiors, it was the story of the Burdens that hooked me: their pedigree, their art collection… and the fact that they had this life in their early twenties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI started painting a scene inspired by their drawing room. It was the first time I’d ever painted art within my art, which felt like a fun challenge. After a few weeks, though, my initial excitement faded. There was something I couldn’t get quite right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI hit pause, telling myself I’d come back to it. A few months passed. I found out I was pregnant. We moved houses. I moved studios. I kept shuffling the painting along with me, but couldn’t bring myself to restart it. The bright red curtain and yellow chair sat tucked in the corner of my studio while the story of the Burdens drifted in and out of my mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few weeks ago, my best friend urged our group chat to read a new bestselling memoir, Strangers. I was hesitant, but gave in after hearing Belle Burden speak on one of my favorite podcasts (thank you Erin and Sara Foster).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI don’t know why the last name didn’t immediately register—but as I started the audiobook, it clicked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Burdens from my painting were Belle’s parents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI couldn’t imagine a clearer sign that I needed to finish this piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI devoured all seven hours of Strangers while I painted, finally fixing the things that had bothered me 18 months earlier. Never did I expect to know more about The Burdens than what was written in that 1965 Vogue article—yet there I was, learning intimate details about the rest of their lives through their daughter’s story as I painted…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eI’m clearly not alone in being deeply impacted by Belle’s book. I’d heard women say it would make you rethink your relationships—but for me, it made me rethink my relationship with myself: my capacity for empathy, judgment, and what my purpose is as a wife, mother, and friend.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eIf you haven’t read \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eStrangers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, I highly recommend it. The honesty and specificity of her story are what make it feel so universal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eSharing this because life can feel wildly circular and kismet at times.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eAnd thank you, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s3\"\u003eBelle Burden\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, for making so many women feel seen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ALEX'S","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48228148543729,"sku":null,"price":3957.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/8293\/2977\/files\/7E518801-911B-4433-AE4E-CD831E154457.png?v=1780083968","url":"https:\/\/alexs.world\/en-au\/products\/the-burdens","provider":"ALEX'S","version":"1.0","type":"link"}