When I began this painting my objective was to create a "lion and lamb" themed artwork that had never been done in quite this way before. Originally it was just the little girl and the lion, but it evolved into so much more as I added in stuffed animals along with the wild, jungle-like surroundings. One could interpret this piece in many different ways. On the surface it appears to be a contemporary interpretation of the passage from Isaiah 11, but on another level, it becomes more about the challenges that a young child faces as she transitions into adulthood. The model is my daughter, five years old at the time. Her intensity has always struck me and I know she will be a world-changer. Here, she faces the viewer undaunted, almost daring us to bring it on, and while the remnants of childhood lay cast aside, she embraces the strength of the lion and looks ahead with courage rather than fear.