This series emerged from my daily meditation practice and an ongoing fascination with cairns—those stacked stones encountered on trails that serve as both markers and memorials to the departed. I’m drawn to this duality: those who have preceded us often have a way of connecting us to our own path, like forest Bodhisattvas guiding us along. The fact that cairns resemble seated Buddhas feels central to their story, reminding us to stay present rather than lost in memory or anticipation.
The paintings draw from a Buddhist tradition of meditating on 40 specific objects to cultivate concentration. But these works invert that practice: rather than depicting the objects themselves, each portrays the Buddha in meditation, turning attention toward consciousness at work.
This series is an invitation: to slow down, to look closely, and to cultivate the attention that transforms ordinary seeing into genuine insight.