Fueled by deep anger, painting on paper or canvas alone was not enough. I needed the physical act of slashing, carving, cutting, sanding, pushing, and pulling. Wood became the perfect medium for release. Colour, which I experience as light, inevitably appears in my work, whether on paper, canvas, or wood, as I tend to ‘see the glass half full.’ The colourful, wingless birds symbolize perseverance in the face of adversity. In my work, the bird that somehow grows wings and attempts to fly carries its roots, land, culture, homes, and memories, a process reminiscent of the excruciating ripping out of one’s heart. Yet, despite this pain, tomorrow will come and the sun will always rise.