Watercolor on paper, 2025
Reflecting on the death of Pope Francis brought me back to one of the most personal and pivotal moments for me of his papacy—the evening in Rome, during the strictest lockdowns of the COVID pandemic, when he gave an extraordinary blessing to the city and to the world (“Urbi et Orbi“). Alone in St. Peter’s Square, at twilight under a steady drizzle, the image he embodied was that of the captain of a ship, guiding it through the buffeting seas and entrusting it to Jesus Christ for deliverance. In that moment when many viewers throughout the world—including myself and my family; our newborn daughter—were also alone and uncertain, Pope Francis showed us that Christ is our unity and our salvation.
This piece was on display at the Beyond Gallery and Gift Shop in Lafayette, Indiana, during their “Abstract” exhibition June 6–July 26, 2025.