My favorite art is scenic painting, especially sunsets and night skies. After losing my cat, I began placing him in my work; resting among flowers, overlooking mountains and lakes, or sitting with my other cat beneath the moon. It’s my way of keeping him close. I’m also drawn to space and its balance of light and dark, a theme that runs through all my work, reflecting both loss and beauty.

I find inspiration in the fleeting and the still moments I hold with my eyes and those I capture through my lens. I’m drawn to scenes that feel once in a lifetime, small fragments of time that might otherwise slip away. Through both memory and photograph, I preserve what matters most, turning passing moments into something lasting, something quietly eternal.

With $25,000, I could breathe, lifting the weight of constant survival. It would steady my family, turning struggle into security, and replace endless motion with peace. No longer chasing each paycheck, I could be present—home with my son, where time feels fuller and moments last longer. It wouldn’t just change our circumstances; it would give us something rare and quiet: relief, stability, and the space to truly live.