Tessellation, as used in the context of art, refers to the repeated geometric arrangement of shapes. A transformation occurs when the shapes are tweaked slightly throughout the pattern. “Night Life” shows both, as different star shapes dance across the night sky over a divided landscape.

This set of four panels features one long transformation across four different star shapes and back again. Each panel shows one set of stars in the carved wood and the second set in the painted wood; the negative space of the one becoming the positive space of the other.

The landscape evolves from seas to mountains, plains to hills, reminiscent of the diverse terrain of the United States. With consistent phases of the moon but fluid movement among the stars, the piece aims to celebrate diversity while highlighting the unity of humanity.

Measuring 28 inches in height, 22 inches in width, and 3/4 of an inch in thickness, each panel is designed to be hung with a 1-inch gap between them.