My daughter showed me a song titled "As it Was" which refers to the glory of the 80' and 90's. Being alive during that time and also very young, I can certainly reminisce and compare the end of the 20th century to now.  Although I miss "As it Was" I certainly can appreciate today at the same time.

I am currently obsessed with a show titled "Bros of Decay" in which the host explores the beauty of abandoned mansions. I was also recently exposed to a handful of famous paintings from the past, which depict old houses and dark scenes. I feel like this current time period (at least in my life) is drenched with darkness and the theme of decay.

There is a beauty in everything though, life and death, light and dark. I can stand here and look back and appreciate simple times of the past, whether pertaining to periods of history in general, or my very own personal history. The youth who only know of the present, can look towards the future, without the comparison of the past that can weigh one down. The only place for one at the bottom of the well is to look is up. I tried to balance all of this with my latest project.

I have always appreciated abandoned places, history and all things of the sort. There is truth found in objects and buildings. No narrative can be twisted when you are holding a piece of history in your hand. I can't help but imagine what life was like. Seeing old decrepit places made me yearn to reimagine and make a narrative of my own. Since I have not lived in the 18th or 19th century, I needed help from old artists, in particular Wilfred Bosworth Jenkins, to gather the missing pieces during my journey while creating the latest piece. Looking at some of the remaining old buildings and painting styles of the era, I created "Homage to Wilfred."  Wilfred Bosworth Jenkins was an artist known for his beautiful depictions of dusk and evening and the beauty of light in the dark. Being that I was inspired by and sort of employed a part of his style for its execution, it was only fitting to title it "Homage to Wilfred." Through this work, I connected the present with the past utilizing my voice with those long gone. To me, that is beauty.