I was born from the ocean. Not in the physical sense, but metaphysical. Long before I knew the ocean as home, it was home in me. I am captivated by its soothing sounds, the way light dances across its wind shifting-crests, and the salty taste it leaves on my lips. But I also have an irrational fear of what lies beyond. The ocean, the sea, the lake, the pond, the river, the stream, they are all home to me and call me hourly to wade into the crisp and refreshing unknown. My collection Beyond the Sea is an emotional journey that evolved during my time abroad. Now unable to hear the shore from my current residence, these images serve as a surrogate and my emotional connection to the water.