Release is one of my series titled Loss. Paper airplanes are symbols of childhood and play, reminiscent of long days of imaginative time spent with my brother and friends. Paper airplanes are unpredictable, often flying off to the side or looping around. Parenting is often the same, we work toward an outcome, but we really can’t control which direction our own life or our children’s will go. We just have to let go and trust that we have done the best we can.

About the series:

I created this 12-part series during a month-long artist residency in September 2023. Each piece reflects a different facet of my experience—as a child, a parent, and in my evolving relationship with my own mother. The series is an exploration of my grief through the long journey of losing her to Alzheimer’s disease. She had a profound influence on my creative journey and on every aspect of my life.

I worked on vintage book pages using mixed media, including gesso, ink, pencil, paper collage, and fabric. The series features a limited color palette inspired by my mom’s favorite colors and patterns, weaving memory and emotion into each piece.