Often when I paint, I'm reflecting on something specific. It might be personal struggles, moments of regret with my son, or the beauty of his specific expression I adore. While creating 'Cry,' my thoughts were with a friend I met in Munich, someone I felt an instant connection with. Her journey mirrored my own past challenges—adjusting to life in a new country, navigating a partner's struggles with addiction and mental health issues. As I painted, I contemplated the emotions she must have held inside, the complexities of her experience. Art has a unique way of bringing forth these unspoken feelings, whether joyous or sorrowful, capturing the essence of human resilience and emotional depth.

Something about that newborn phase, up until around five months old, made me feel like my son was an alien. Maybe it's my sleep deprivation, his underdeveloped vision, limited communication, innate reflexes, or just the profound bond and hormonal changes in me—I can't quite understand what my newborn son was thinking or feeling, making him seem almost alien and sacred. There was one moment when he just gazed at the lamp light for such a long time, with a face that I associated with something sacred. This was a watercolor portrait to capture his sacredness, with the exact reference photo being this moment of his sacred gaze.