BEFORE FULFILLING MY CHILDHOOD DREAM OF BECOMING A WORKING ARTIST, I ENDURED A SERIES OF DARK AND PAINFUL EXPERIENCES. THROUGH FAITH AND DEDICATION, I EMERGED INTO A LIFE FILLED WITH LIGHT. HAVING LIVED THROUGH BOTH EXTREMES, I BEGAN TO ASK MYSELF THESE PROFOUND QUESTIONS: CAN WE TRULY UNDERSTAND TRIUMPH WITHOUT FIRST KNOWING STRUGGLE? CAN REST BE APPRECIATED WITHOUT ENDURANCE? CAN JOY EXIST WITHOUT THE SHADOW OF PAIN? WHAT IS LIGHT WITHOUT DARKNESS, DAY WITHOUT NIGHT, OR THE SUN WITHOUT THE MOON? THIS EXPLORATION OF OPPOSITES INSPIRED ME TO CREATE THIS DIPTYCH SERIES AS A MEDITATION ON DUALITY.

OVER THE COURSE OF 13 MONTHS, I METICULOUSLY CRAFTED THESE WORKS—PAPER PAINTINGS BUILT BLADE BY BLADE FROM HAND-CUT FRAGMENTS. BEFORE PLACING EACH PIECE, I INSCRIBED HUNDREDS OF QUOTES DIRECTLY ONTO THE CANVAS, EMBEDDING LANGUAGE INTO THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORK ITSELF. WORDS HOLD POWERFUL ENERGY, AND THESE WRITINGS ACT AS CATALYSTS, CHARGING EACH PIECE WITH LAYERS OF MEANING. WHILE I HAVE INTUITIVELY EMBEDDED WRITINGS IN PAST WORKS, THIS SERIES REFLECTS A MORE DELIBERATE, SYSTEMATIC APPROACH.

EACH PAINTING IS INFUSED WITH THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUOTES ON THE THEME OF LIGHT AND DARK. DRAWING FROM THEOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY, ESOTERIC TEACHINGS, BIBLICAL SCRIPTURE, HERMETIC WRITINGS, AND ANCIENT SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS, I EXPLORED HOW DIFFERENT VOICES THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE GRAPPLED WITH THE PARADOX OF DUALISM. THESE QUOTES REMAIN CONCEALED WITHIN THE ARTWORK AND WILL BE REVEALED ONLY TO ITS COLLECTORS, PRESERVING A SENSE OF MYSTERY AND EXCLUSIVITY.

ONE QUOTE I HOLD CENTRAL TO THE SERIES, WHICH I'LL REVEAL, IS BY CARL JUNG: “AS FAR AS WE CAN DISCERN, THE SOLE PURPOSE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE IS TO KINDLE A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS OF MERE BEING.” THIS INSIGHT ILLUMINATES THE VERY ESSENCE OF THIS WORK. THE SKYLINE IN THE COMPOSITIONS FURTHER UNDERSCORES THIS TRUTH—THAT EVEN AFTER THE DARKEST NIGHT, THE SUN INEVITABLY RISES.

THE FIGURES DEPICTED EACH DISPLAY HETEROCHROMIA, A CONDITION OF HAVING TWO DIFFERENTLY COLORED EYES. ACROSS ANCIENT CULTURES, THIS WAS BELIEVED TO GRANT THE ABILITY TO SEE INTO BOTH HEAVEN AND EARTH SIMULTANEOUSLY. FOR ME, IT SERVES AS ANOTHER LAYER OF SYMBOLISM, REINFORCING THE INTERPLAY OF DUAL PERSPECTIVES.

FINALLY, THE NUDE FORMS REPRESENT THE SUBCONSCIOUS IN ITS PUREST STATE—STRIPPED OF PRETENSE, STANDING IN BALANCE BETWEEN THE CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS MIND. IN THIS WAY, THE SERIES HONORS THE HEALING OF THE AUTHENTIC SELF THAT EMERGES WHEN WE RECONCILE BOTH SHADOW AND LIGHT WITHIN US.