This mixed-media collage explores love across distance, inspired by the nine months my significant other, Luke, spent deployed overseas with the U.S. Army. During that time, handwritten letters became a tangible way for us to stay connected, while ladybugs became our small symbol for “I’m thinking of you.”

Built from found magazine and book pages, writing paper, hand-selected text, and personal coordinates, the piece centers on a ladybug traveling along a branch toward a connection point symbolizing Luke’s return home. A subtle excerpt from E.E. Cummings’ i carry your heart with me reinforces the idea that physical distance does not diminish connection.

Created while Luke was away and gifted to him when he returned, this piece reflects the quiet ways love persists through distance—the letters, symbols, memories, and small gestures that allow us to carry the people we love with us wherever we go.