Creating Amidst Destruction

The world feels like it’s crumbling around us. Conflicts flare up in places near and far, and the weight of destruction is impossible to ignore. It is overwhelming to watch events unfold, to feel the deep sadness of lives risked and lost, and culture erased. It’s hard to keep track of everything, and even harder to know what to do about it. In moments like these, when the bigger picture feels too vast to grasp, all we can do is focus on the people around us—on kindness, on small acts of good, on continuing our work.

It's hard not to feel this turbulence deeply. It's disturbing. But what is there to say that hasn’t already been said? Some days, words fail me entirely, and in their place, I turn to painting. It’s not that art can fix what’s broken, but it is part of something essential—our culture, our humanity. In times of turmoil, art is something we must hold onto. It carries history, emotion, and resistance. It reminds us of who we are.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that I find myself returning to a theme I started long ago: the demolition site. The metaphor is as relevant now as ever. The world feels like a vast, ongoing demolition—structures being torn down, lives uprooted, histories rewritten. But amidst the rubble, there is always the possibility of rebuilding. This is why I keep painting. Because even in destruction, there is something worth preserving.

I don’t pretend that making art is an answer to the world’s problems, but I do know it’s a way of processing them. It’s a way of communicating when words don’t suffice. It’s a way of continuing on when things feel bleak. And, maybe, it’s a way of inspiring others to keep going too. Because tough is not the same as hopeless. And as long as we are here—creating, sharing, connecting—there is still something left to keep continuing for.

So I keep painting, keep searching for those who inspire me, and hope that in some way, my work might do the same for someone else. In these times, we must hold onto whatever reminds us of our shared humanity. For me, one way to do that is art.