Artist Statement: Hand-held technology, like the iPod, was just starting when I was growing up. As a child, until around middle school, every time I would ride in the car with my parents, I would just stare out the window because there was no device to occupy my attention. It was a time for reflection, meditation, and observation. A time when I allowed myself to think deeply and be creative imaginatively. My favorite thing to observe was the night sky and in particular, the moon. The moon has always been a symbol of tranquility and motherly love in my life. From my therapeutic car rides to the phrase my mom would always say when I was younger, “I love you to the moon and back.” The pandemic has brought pain and stress to so many. It has taken so many lives and hurt so many more. I, as many people, turned to escapism throughout the course of the past couple years. I absorb content for hours on end to try and escape the world around me. When I drive home at night, the moon is always directly in front of me, just at the end of my path. It stares at me the whole drive, a reminder to take moments to self-reflect and meditate. To feel the love and the comfort that the world around you can provide, even from millions of miles away.
