Peace On Your Wings

Japanese art, especially vintage woodblock prints, strongly inspire me—particularly their use of branches to symbolize the cycles of life, the cherry and plum blossoms in ukiyo-e prints, how pines represent strength and resilience, and how also branches masterfully frame scenes, creating movement, contrast, and a balance of negative and positive space. Often, these branches are combined with birds to add deeper emotional depth.
During my time in Japan, I photographed many cranes, sacred symbols of happiness, good fortune, and peace. I recalled the Tsuru legend and Sadako, a Hiroshima survivor who believed that folding 1,000 paper cranes would summon the Crane spirit to heal her; she folded over 600 before passing away, and her classmates completed the rest.  She wrote on each, “I will write peace on your wings, and you will fly all over the world.” Sadako’s story is legendary in Japan and was turned into an internationally famous children’s book.
I titled each painting with half of the quote and wrote it in kanji on the artwork. The 'hanko' (stamp) signature features the symbol for peace. This is a diptych—two paintings that can stand alone or can be displayed together as one.