This body of work explored salvaged wood, including old tables, scraps of plywood, and reclaimed pallets. The initial process was straightforward: I began by removing stains, mending cuts and bruises, and familiarizing myself with the new material. Each piece of wood I came across was distinct, much like every individual is unique, carrying its own quirks, mysteries, fragilities, and strengths.

Within me existed an internal cosmos populated by my own peculiar characters and stories. The Wild Ones may have appeared eerie at first, but they possessed incredibly deep and tender souls. Mama was a maternal figure who dreamed of the ability to fly. All of these characters were, in a way, fragments of myself. After reclaiming the wood, I began carving these characters into it.

"A Tender Heart" represented a collection of work that delved into these characters and stories while simultaneously honoring the wood from which they emerged. The act of creating served as a healing process for me, acting as an empathetic gateway to both myself and the world that surrounded me.