When everything is taken away, and the only life support that you have is small boat or driftwood to keep you alive, your perspective changes dramatically.

Many of us are consumed by everyday life: working to make money, paying bills, going out to eat, having fancy drinks. What are the newest must-have gadgets? What is the newest trend in fashion? What is the best TV show to watch? But for others, it is  just about getting by for the day: how do we stay alive, find food and shelter for ourselves…for our families? There are many refugees who have given up everything for this type of survival. The most valuable item in their lives becomes the raft, or the driftwood, that they held onto so desperately in order to stay alive long enough to cross the Mediterranean sea. So often, when they arrive in this new and foreign, even hostile land, they are unwelcome. 

The whiteness of the canvas is the vast unknown that must be crossed/traveled. The rippling effect and the unevenness of the canvas are symbolic of the agitation of the sea, and the harsh winds and sun in the desert. The found object on the canvas starts to look valuable because of what it offers: hope and survival. 

There is beauty in what I see, there is calmness when I take  time for reflection and observe the artwork. At the end nothing matters except love, happiness, and contentment.