A woman in pink hot rollers and under-eye patches sits on the edge of the tub in a striped robe, painting her toenails a bright tangerine orange. A glass of red wine, an ashtray and a cigarette keep her company against tiles of sage green and deep red.

It’s the getting-ready part of the night, that slow, private routine before you go out, when you’re not trying to impress anybody yet. Just you, a fresh coat of polish and a little ritual of your own.

• Artist: Gabby Smith
• Year: 2026
• Type: Original painting, one of a kind
• Medium: Acrylic, pastels and acrylic markers on stretched canvas
• Size: 30 × 40 in.
• Framing: Unframed
• Series: Rituals, an ongoing series about the small routines that happen in the privacy of your home