Ardea alba

Medium: Black India Ink on paper
Size: 11 x 14 inches
Date: 2025
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 When creating this piece, I thought about the stories that I heard over the years—stories by patients, neighbors, attendings. I heard a lot about resilience. In my time here, I have often thought that the people of New Orleans have endured a lot and persevered with joy. I incorporated imagery of the iron work that survived Katrina, growing into a spine—a symbol of both strength and fragility, a structure that engulfs one of the most important parts of our bodies.

I think the people of New Orleans act as a column of vertebrae around their city, the spinal cord. I included the live oak trees with Spanish moss, a symbol of longevity and growth. The egrets, specifically the baby egret, as a symbol of life and persistence despite all the circumstances we face. In a time that is especially challenging for healthcare, I hope we can all look at this piece and be reminded of the honor it is to care for patients, to have learned from our mentors and peers at Tulane, and to be a part of the Nola community.