Why Orphanages?

People occasionally ask why I paint orphanages.

The answer is partly personal and partly philosophical.

Growing up, I became aware of the different ways people experience family. Some of my friends' parents were physically present throughout important moments of their lives. My own experience was different. My parents were often far away, and much of our relationship existed through phone calls and messages.

Their absence did not diminish their importance in my life, but it did make me think deeply about questions of family, belonging, responsibility, and human connection. In many ways, it pushed me toward philosophy.

Over time, those questions led me to orphanages.

Not because I see orphanages as places of tragedy alone, but because they exist at a unique intersection of vulnerability and possibility.

A child living in an orphanage faces challenges that many others do not. At the same time, childhood is a period in which a single opportunity, relationship, or act of support can alter the trajectory of an entire life.

Rather than focusing only on what is missing, I find myself drawn to what may still be possible.

My work is not about portraying children as victims. It is about recognizing potential where others may see limitation.

This belief also informs the idea behind the Ledger of Care. The most meaningful outcome is not a donation or a successful project, but the possibility that someone who once received support may one day return to support others.

For me, orphanages are not simply institutions.

They are places where continuity begins.