Blue Dot Inheritance
2022 - Present
This series presents the world as a treasure and a place to discover; it intimates a deep connection we have with each other and the planet. Using the imagery of real maps, locations emerge with ink, watercolor, and gold media on clear acrylic. Maps are painted on both the front and back of the acrylic, creating a layered effect that mimics the feeling of memories that seem distant.
The maps used in this body of work represent a diverse group of people. For over seven years, I have collected locations and specific addresses that people call home. These precious places have been printed as maps and painted into the acrylic panels. As visitors walk by the painted translucent forms, they may find a location that holds significance to them while also experiencing other places that are cherished. Whether home is near or far, present or past, there is a universality to the feeling of belonging that home evokes.
The title, Blue Dot Inheritance, refers to the photograph of Earth taken from space in 1990 by the Voyager 1 space probe, Pale Blue Dot. It is a reminder of our small, shared claim in the universe.