Symbolism in Art: Decoding the Hidden Meanings

A Soft Leap, 2025

It wasn’t until recently that I became obsessed with the rabbit as a symbol. More specifically, the white rabbit. Before I left my stable job, it began appearing in my mind over and over again. I couldn’t shake it. I drew it. I painted it. I noticed it everywhere, as if it was quietly following me.

As my self-concept slowly crumbled and my career wore me down, the rabbit stayed. When everything else felt uncertain, it remained constant. Eventually, I looked up the meaning behind the creature and found phrases that felt almost too on the nose: a call to adventure, spiritual awakening, a journey into the unknown. It mirrored my day-to-day life so perfectly it felt uncanny.

I had never quit a job like that. Especially after what felt like one small setback. But I realized that nothing in my life would change unless I was the one to change it. I was terrified. I didn’t really know what I was going to do next. I had barely made any sales on Etsy, and I hadn’t created real art in years.

Still, I had this intense gut feeling that the world would provide for me. Slightly delusional, maybe, but so far, it has.

The rabbit has stayed with me. And when I look back at pivotal moments in my life now, I see the journey as a whole—how every small decision, every detour, led me exactly to where I am. I don’t know if I’ll make it as an artist. But I do know I would always regret not trying.