2026

12 x 16in

Paper collage mounted on watercolor paper

here so many of us are fighting to survive from one day to the next. It comes from a place of waiting. Waiting for an email, a phone call, an opportunity, a commission project, a grant, a fellowship, or any sign that the work being done in private is finally being acknowledged in public.

As an artist, I have spent countless days refreshing my inbox and checking notifications, hoping for good news. During those periods of uncertainty, I often call on my mother and the rest of my village to keep me in their prayers. There is comfort in knowing that your hopes are not being carried alone. Success is often celebrated as an individual achievement, but behind every accomplishment is a community of people who believed, encouraged, and prayed when there was no evidence that anything was coming.

This piece exists in that space between faith and anticipation. It reflects the emotional tension of believing that something is meant for you while having no control over when or if it will ever arrive. The title, CONGRATULATIONS, functions almost like a manifestation, a declaration spoken before the outcome is known. It imagines the moment of acceptance before the acceptance letter has arrived. At the same time, the work acknowledges the importance of balance within prayer. It is easy to approach prayer as a list of requests, especially during difficult times, but gratitude is equally important. I was taught to offer one prayer of thanks for every prayer asking for something. Gratitude keeps ambition from becoming desperation. It reminds us that even while reaching for the next opportunity, there is still something worth appreciating in the present moment.