Description

Coming To Believe (2022): Original Recovery Art Oil Painting

Coming To Believe (2022) is a striking, deeply symbolic original oil painting on canvas by South African contemporary artist Lucille Fernandes-Stangl. Measuring 120 cm x 80 cm, this expressive work captures a low-angle perspective looking down at legs seated in a circle, bringing the viewer directly into a quiet moment of fellowship, vulnerability, and internal turning. The composition centers on grounded feet against a vibrant, luminous yellow floor—punctuated by a distinct trail of green paint drips that symbolises the ongoing, imperfect journey of healing.

“The second step of the 12 steps reads ‘we came to believe that a power greater than us could restore us to sanity’. Coming to believe is a hard task for the faithless, maybe more possible for the desperate. A life lived in trying to solve our own problems and only seeing them exacerbated by the chaos of addiction. Everyday I came to believe that one more unlikely thing is possible. I got this faith watching incredible people change their lives, a day at a time.”

— Lucille Fernandes-Stangl, Artist Statement

In contemporary recovery art, the phase of coming to believe represents a pivotal spiritual and psychological threshold—moving away from isolation toward hope, trust, and shared human connection. Through heavy-body oil paint application and masterfully balanced warm and cool tones, this canvas serves as a powerful visual anchor for serious fine art collectors, gallery curation, and spaces dedicated to somatic processing and recovery.

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Artistic Technique, Color Palette & Medium

Executed entirely in studio using professional-grade Winsor & Newton oil colours on canvas, Coming To Believe (2022) demonstrates Lucille Fernandes-Stangl’s command of tactile impasto brushwork and spatial dynamic. The artist uses raw paint texture and deliberate, gestural marks to give weight to the figures while maintaining an expansive field of color.

The color palette is defined by high-energy contrast and symbolic grounding:

• Radiant Canary & Ochre Yellows: Dominating the lower two-thirds of the canvas, the luminous yellow floor creates an atmosphere of hope, awakening, and present-moment awareness.
• Deep Indigo & Denim Blues: Rich blue tones in the jeans and footwear anchor the foreground, providing strong structural stability[cite: 2].
• Expressive Green & Crimson Accents: Bold drips of forest green across the bright floor and deep red tones along the seating perimeter add motion, raw authenticity, and visual tension.

All materials and pigments utilized conform to strict archival and lightfast standards, preserving the artwork’s integrity and rich chromatic depth for generations to come.

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The Narrative: Fellowship, Step Two & Recovery Art

The perspective of Coming To Believe (2022) places the viewer’s eyes at foot level—a direct somatic reference to being present in a recovery meeting, sitting in community, and looking down at one’s own steps. By focusing on the physical point of contact between the individual and the ground, the painting honours the quiet, unvarnished moments where faith and self-acceptance begin.

As part of Lucille Fernandes-Stangl’s ongoing exploration of addiction, healing, and human connection, this studio original transforms shared psychological reality into a lasting, highly collectible piece of fine art.

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Artwork Specifications & Fine Art Provenance

This original canvas is an authentic studio work from Johannesburg, South Africa, and includes complete provenance records[cite: 2].

Artwork Details:

• Artwork Title: Coming To Believe (2022)[cite: 2]
• Artist: Lucille Fernandes-Stangl[cite: 2]
• Year of Creation: 2022[cite: 2]
• Medium: Archival Oil on Canvas[cite: 2]
• Dimensions: 120 cm wide x 80 cm high[cite: 2]
• Framing: Unframed canvas (Stretched on professional studio wood strainers)
• Provenance: Direct from the artist’s studio (Johannesburg, South Africa)[cite: 2]
• Shipping: Fully insured, professional global packaging and worldwide delivery
• Certificate of Authenticity: Accompanied by an official, hand-signed Certificate of Authenticity. Preservation follows standard international art conservation guidelines.

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Care & Display Guidelines

To preserve the rich texture and archival qualities of your original oil painting, display indoors away from direct, unfiltered sunlight and extreme moisture. Clean gently using a soft, dry microfiber cloth or camel-hair brush to remove dusting without disturbing the delicate impasto peaks.