In Summer 2022, my daughter was sick. There was nothing more to do for her, just wait and hope.

But I am not good at doing nothing.

So I found something to do. The Japanese have a belief where if you fold 1000 paper cranes, you get a wish. Working towards a wish is better than doing nothing. My husband and I did just that: we stayed up at night and folded 1000 paper cranes. It took us over a month, but it felt good to be physically doing something.

I felt like that was a story worth sharing. That it could help bring others some solace when they have nothing they can do for a loved one yet need to do something. Fold cranes. It may help you get through the day, and I tucked the idea in the back of my brain as something to pursue later.

About a year after that, we were going through a different struggle. My son was being tested for autism, and it was another situation where I had no control. I just needed to keep moving forward. I had leftover origami paper, but wanted to do something different. I collaged it onto canvas and painted a crane overtop. Then I did two more just like it.

And then I just kept going.

The idea of painting paper cranes on top of actual origami paper resonated on a deeper level. I have since started painting origami roses and frogs; entire origami landscapes. I painted cranes that were flying together, cranes that were dancing, cranes snuggling.

I thought back to when I worked as a nurse and how quickly a life could be changed from a bad diagnosis or an injury. I thought about how we lean on our connections and love for each other when life is out of control. I thought about how brave loving another being is.

I realized that the cranes represent people and paper reflects the fragility of life. The paintings visualize my idealism of human community; that we need to appreciate the time we have with each other. We seem so solid going through our day to day, not realizing a small gust of wind can blow everything as we know it off track. What started as an ode to my children became a message of hope and has developed into my biggest series that encompasses this big message to the world: love is brave. Appreciate each other. That is what is important.

I am going to paint 1000 Paper Cranes and I hope to inspire a little more love in the world.