Resilience by Greg Pastore

Greg created this piece as a reflection of living with disability. This beautiful painting and poem were exhibited together at the Confident Embrace exhibit in September 2025. Confident Embrace was a community exhibition sharing the creative expression of brain injury survivors.

Resilience 

On a barren driveway, life persists— 

a cluster of small purple flowers 

bursts through azote patches of dirt, rock, and  

asphalt debris.  

A simple digital image, 

frames defiant petals in a sea of brown. 

I identify with the stubborn autotroph— 

its adaptation to an inhospitable environment, 

and unapologetic prominence, 

mirrors life with disability.  

Will a painting stand beside its digital reference?  

What will it express that a camera glosses over? 

Why paint at all? 

Pigment and brush focus vision 

and reveal hidden details, textures, shadows, and hues.  

What is overlooked in the environment 

is seen through a new light. 

Is blue in the rock naturally occurring? 

Are red specks in the soil, plastic litter; 

what does this infer about our attitude 

toward the environment? 

Does asphalt detract from natural beauty 

or will jet black blend seamlessly? 

Will we corrupt every bit of nature?  

Mental stimulation—as a stroke survivor— 

is delivered through brushstrokes. 

It is here where I find meaning and purpose