This painting was inspired by a night flight from Providence to Baltimore. The cities and towns below were amorphous phosphorescent masses with spidery tendrils connecting to one another. I fell into a reverie imagining little galaxies harboring multitudes of unknown lives, but as the plane descended the galaxies slowly resolved into distinct features. Suddenly, as the landing lights came on, the spell was broken. I felt a quiver of anxiety, soon I would be one of the lives in the city and must deal with it's realities.
I thought to contrast the brilliantly lit jet engine with the surrounding dark, it's sharp contours with the vague boundaries of the glowing cities; but I decided to represent the plane as it resumed its connection with earth. These images show how I arrived at what that earth should look like.