THE TOWER WAS CREATED ENTIRELY FROM FRAGMENTS OF MAGAZINE PAPER, WITH ONLY THE BLACK AND WHITE AREAS RENDERED IN ACRYLIC PAINT. DRAWING ON THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE RIDER–WAITE TAROT, THIS PIECE EMBODIES THE SUDDEN COLLAPSE OF ILLUSION AND THE CHAOS THAT MAKES WAY FOR TRUTH.

AS I CONSTRUCTED THE LIGHTNING BOLT,  WITH AN ACTUAL THUNDERSTORM OUTSIDE MY WINDOW, I FELT THE CARD COME ALIVE IN MY HANDS. THE ESSENCE OF THIS CARD MIRRORED THE ENERGY IN MY OWN WORLD, A HAPPENING THAT PARALLELED THE FALL FROM GRACE DEPICTED IN THIS CARD. 

THE FALLING FIGURES REPRESENT HUMANITY’S RELUCTANT DESCENT INTO CHANGE, WHILE THE FLAMES LEAPING FROM THE WINDOWS  SYMBOLIZE BOTH DESTRUCTION AND PURIFICATION. THE COLLAGED STONES OF THE TOWER REFLECT THE FRAGILITY OF FOUNDATIONS BUILT ON FALSEHOODS, YET THEIR COLLAPSE CLEARS THE SPACE FOR REBIRTH.

IN THE END, THIS PIECE BECAME MORE THAN A DEPICTION OF THE TOWER—IT WAS A LIVED EXPERIENCE. THROUGH CHAOS, COLLAPSE, AND THE STORM ITSELF, A NEW LEVEL OF CLARITY AND TRANSFORMATION EMERGED.