One

ONE

2013

Wood, Canvas, Mirror, Glass, Paper, Tape, Bullets, Metal, Paint

48” X 36” X 14”

121.9 X 91.4 X 35.6 cm

This is the piece that reignited Panda’s flame to make art again.

It’s the first work of art she was able to create after several years of not having a work space. One of Panda’s closest friends, she calls her Friendsis, Stacey J, dragged her into a magical gallery in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood which ended up changing the direction of Panda’s life forever.

Panda and Stacey walked in the gallery and met Corosh, an extraordinary artist and the owner of the gallery. Panda and Corosh started talking and Panda explained how much she loved art but didn’t have a place to work from for the past few years. Corosh told her that moving forward she did. He opened up his gallery and took her in and gave her a place to be able to start creating again. Panda couldn’t believe it. She would be forever grateful to Corosh.

Panda showed up to Corosh’s gallery the next day around 10AM. She was so happy to have a space to work out of she ended up working until 10 PM that night! She created this piece, ONE, in those first 12 hours she was at the gallery.

Corosh suggested they go get some food because he was thinking Panda had to be starving. They drove over to Chinatown to grab a bite and at the end of the meal they opened their fortune cookies. This is the fortune that Panda received that night— You will find an outlet for your creative genius and accomplish a great deal. (See photo below.)

This was truly the beginning of everything that was to come.

We are all out there searching, everyone is looking for something or someone to be the one…but what you need to realize is, you yourself, YOU ARE THE ONE.