A recurring theme in my work is the worship of religious icons, particularly Our Lady of Czestochowa. The original icon in Czestochowa, Poland bears scars from the sacking of the church during the many wars the country endured as it fought partitioning and absorption by surrounding countries. Its face and hands are stained brown from constant veneration by besieged but faithful worshippers. I perceive this icon as a reflection of the enduring devotion and faith of a culture living in a constant state of siege and turmoil. My work contemplates the parallels of past historic conflict and contemporary global crisis.