Artist Inspiration: What did you see when you first looked at this piece? A garish assortment of colors? Look closer. This piece was created with caps from expired clinical research lab kits. I started saving the caps when I realized how much waste there is: anyone who works in healthcare knows that there is a LOT of waste. But there is beauty and hope as well.

This piece honors all who have worked throughout this pandemic to find the good: the scientists, healthcare workers, and patients who volunteered to partake in clinical research so that we could find solutions this tragedy. Most patients who volunteer to be in a clinical trial say that the main reason they are doing it is to help others who suffer from similar conditions–to Find the Good in their disease.

I have placed in this piece growing plants that represent LIFE; a waterfall to represent NOURISHMENT that we all need; a flower mandala to represent HOPE. You will also see a black circle: it represents those who struggle to find the good and suffer from despair or grief. The black heart represents those who lost their lives in the pandemic. But these spaces are surrounded by color!

The piece needed a LOT of glue. If it were only so easy to form strong, unbreakable bonds with other people. I was limited in my color choices as well as numbers of caps. Everyone has limits in their lives. My wish is for people to strive to find the beauty in life despite those limitations.