Essential was born out of a desire to create work in the midst of this pandemic that felt timely but could also later serve as a retrospective lens into the odd reality we find ourselves in now. The inspiration came on daily walks out of the house for fresh air, after observing a strange new visual quirk that came with making face coverings like masks a part of everyday life. Because of their sudden necessity, masks were becoming fixtures within people's parked cars and left behind in various unique ways: sitting in cup holders, hanging from turn-signal levers, or dangling from rearview mirrors next to air fresheners. The curious appearances caught my eye and made for interesting and spontaneous subject matter, but also symbolized how we were all adapting to life in a pandemic.
