I don't know where this came from. It started out being part of my Faded Star series, but after painting the sky and distressed architectural details, I felt more inclined to "inhabit" the foreground space, to perceive it as a haven rather than a place to fly out from.

Perhaps this comes from experiences I had as a child, playing in the concrete and metal drain channels and tunnels of the LA River basin. The enclosed spaces always felt like sanctuaries to me, places to hide in and be safe.

In any case, the figure in this painting has decided to play it safe and stay, sending the bird out to investigate and report back. She prefers the decaying yet familiar surroundings to the vast unknown represented by the horizonless sky beyond, however beautiful it may appear.