Isolation bred inspiration during those endless pandemic days. With nowhere to go and so much uncertainty swirling, I turned to my art to maintain hope and healing.

Each morning I would gather the paper remnants littering my studio - fragments from past projects, scraps destined for the waste bin. I peeled the plastic film of dried acrylic from the palette, capturing their bursts of color like autumn leaves. Armed with scissors, glue, and determination, I meticulously transformed these abandoned materials into an army of petite paper soldiers.

Slicing, tearing, layering - each sheet took on new life and meaning beneath my hands. Miniature worlds emerged, containing symbols of growth and optimism: blooming flowers, budding trees, trails leading into the distance. The collages became visual breaths, allowing me to escape out the window or onto a trail whenever the walls closed in.

Small in scale, vast in heart, this series chronicles my journey to find beauty and meaning when life was muted by uncertainty. Each crinkled edge and painted shape honors the resiliency of the human spirit. During a time of fear and isolation, these collages remind us that…

…we can forge ahead with creativity as our compass.