Grounded Softness - The Heart of My Art

Pond Meditation, Miri Smerling 2025

Life doesn’t slow down for anyone. It’s loud, chaotic, full of notifications, deadlines, and constant motion. Somewhere between the noise and the pressure, we forget to breathe. We forget what it feels like to be still.

For as long as I can remember, art and nature have been the quiet spaces I return to, the places that bring me back to my core. They are where I reconnect with calm, with ease, with myself.

When I have been asked what the core of my brand is, the words Grounded Softness came to life. Born from moments of calm and deep clarity I have within about the look and feel of my art, my products and my event spaces.

So what is Grounded Softness?

To me, it’s this meeting point between the physical earth and our own inner peace. It’s the gentle strength that lives inside us. It’s about being rooted, but not hardened. Soft, but not fragile. Grounded in truth, but yet with lightness in spirit.

Nature holds that energy so naturally. The stillness of a forest, the early morning light, the way leaves sway without resistance. And when I paint, I try to capture that feeling. The connection to the earth. The memory of coming back to myself and a feeling of safety in the world. That quiet moment where everything inside finally exhales.

Machu Picchu, Miri Smerling 2025.

Painting as a way back to our inner self

When I sit down to paint, I’m often drawn to scenes that once made me feel safe, calm, and whole — places that gave me a sense of, “I can breathe here.” Through my brush, I try to recreate those memories of grounded softness.

Because I know how easy it is to drift away from that place. We spend so much of our lives in front of screens, rushing from one task to the next, absorbing the constant tension of the world. Sometimes we can carry stress and anxiety day in and day out without ever really finding our footing again.

For me, artwork is my way of returning to that mindset, and I hope it can be that for others too. A gentle reminder to pause, to soften, to reconnect with the quiet inside.

Why this is the core of my brand

Grounded Softness isn’t just a theme in my artwork, it’s the foundation of everything I create. Every product, painting, and project begins with this intention: to bring people back to that inner space where they feel calm, safe, and connected to the world around them.

And as time goes on, I don’t want it to only live in paintings. I want to create more spaces where others can explore their own expression, slow down, and discover that softness within themselves too.

The world needs softer spaces

We are constantly bombarded by everything happening around us. But I believe that when we choose softness, when we choose groundedness, we don’t become weaker. We become clearer. We show up better. We move through the world with more intention, more compassion, more strength.

Grounded Softness is my way of offering that to the world. An invitation to return to our unique essence and find clarity in our day to day.