On November 6, 2024, Kamala Harris referenced this adage in her presidential concession speech, “only when it is dark enough, you can see the stars”. That adage formed an image in my mind of a vast landscape: an endless dark sky mirrored by uninterrupted black water, the dim light of stars cast upon the whirling eternal universe. I’ve never wished for brightness more than in that moment. My only hope is that there are enough brave people in the world to provide the light and energy needed to guide us to a brighter future. This painting is the embodiment of that hope.