THE ARTIST

In 2020, my father suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. The experience painfully awakened me to the fragility of life and clarified what truly matters. From this season of slowing down and reconnecting with family after college in Boston, I created the Hayati Collection. Named after the Arabic word for “My Life,” it is a parable of sacrificial love and responsibility told through a family of Egyptian geese. The series reflects my growing understanding of love as presence, endurance, daily care, and the choice to show up amid life’s challenges.

In 2025, I found myself in a dark depression, dissatisfied with who I was, where I was, and the choices I was making. Out of this struggle, the Kingdoms Collection emerged. It documents my decision to integrate my shadow, cut off toxic relationships and habits, and fully commit to seeking God. The title Kingdoms reflects my questioning of what ruled my life. These works chronicle the internal journey of becoming, the soul’s choice to pursue purpose and build a life centered in love, refined by fire, and renewed by light.

In early 2026, my piece Dreams of a Distant Tomorrow from the Kingdoms Collection was exhibited at 33 Contemporary Gallery. While new doors opened, past wounds and a scarcity mindset made it difficult to fully receive this reality. This tension gave birth to the Passages Collection, which captures the process of transition: separation, formation, renewal, and refinement. Created while building a firmer foundation of identity and pushing boundaries, it maps the beginning of alignment with a higher calling.

Even as I knew I was on the right path, I wrestled with a cold sense of isolation. I questioned my why, feeling that my old life no longer fit. It was as if I had climbed an invisible mountain. I was too far to connect with those who didn’t share my ambition, yet not high enough to reach those who did. The Unmet Arctic Collection reflects this liminal state: somewhere between ascension and disconnection, deprived of warmth, misunderstood, yet aware that returning to the past was no longer possible.

I began to question the point of being an artist if it led to such loneliness. My love for art dimmed as guilt and shame crept in, the fear that pursuing a creative life meant I could never provide for a family or build something meaningful. This crisis led me deeper into philosophy and the relativity of time. I realized I could not change the past or control the future. All I truly possessed was the present. To express this, I created Passing Infinity, an experimental film and body of work that explores the fleeting nature of time and the beauty of the current moment.

My art is light found in darkness and pain refined into love. It serves as an invitation to slow down and embrace the sacredness of life. I look forward to continuing to share my journey with those who choose to walk alongside me.

-William Miquel