Inspired by Arundhati Roy’s powerful 2020 article The Pandemic Is A Portal and Robert Irwin’s line paintings, Ethan started painting portals in October 2020 while spending the month in New Hampshire.

For Ethan, the circle is an illustration of movement, an architecture of connectivity and a point of focus.

These portals are symbols of the passage of the seasons as we spent that time with the turning leaves, deepening our connection while I adjusted to the ‘new normal’ of daily pills, weekly therapy and quarterly MRIs.

In shifting inwards during the pandemic I focused on this single shape and allowed different ink, paint and materials to inform the outcome.

These are pieces for contemplation and are meant to be calming; a salve for uncertain times in the world and in our bodies.