Mapping Palo Alto

When I moved to Palo Alto, I repeatedly got lost. I turned down the wrong streets, missed stop signs, and struggled to find a recognizable system within the city’s street layout. I still get lost here today.

To make the city feel more manageable, I began drawing the routes I traveled between home, my children’s schools, work, and my studio. Keeping this visual diary helped me slow down, sort out my surroundings, and recognize patterns within my daily movements. Roads that initially felt confusing gradually became structures for paintings. This first series records my attempt to find direction and establish a sense of belonging in a place that did not yet feel like home.