"I have always described feeling depressed as being underwater; sound gets muffled, vision gets cloudy, your head feels light, and you’re gasping for breath. When swimming in the ocean for the first time in my life, both of my brothers were stung by jellyfish and as I inched closer and closer to the beach I couldn’t help but wonder what else was down there waiting to hurt me. I developed this fear of the ocean and not knowing what’s lurking below me. However, my fear does not immunize me to the ocean’s beauty. After spending a few weeks in Costa Rica and seeing how those who live there interact with and depend on the ocean, I developed a new appreciation for the water. The trip really helped me unwind and focus on myself and my family. It would become crucial to me in the weeks preceding my Uncle’s passing. This body of work entitled, The Gallows is inspired heavily by my relationship with the ocean as a metaphor for coping with this loss."
