Artist Statement

Okay. I’m my own worst critic. There was a lot imagination that went into the vision of this piece, but as I worked scratchboard style to capture the proper contrast for staring into a strongly backlit scene (I envision black holes as incredibly bright along the event horizon even though it’s pulling in all the light), the textures and reflections ended up not coming together as refined as I’d hoped.

I did capture the isolation of a solitary, disgruntled monk pouring over the wisdom in a sacred tome from this cosmic library orbiting a black hole. The library is a place where history collects and reflects. Somewhere with modern edges, but ornate furniture. I imagine it as a long lost secret where only the most self-reflective, calm seers will find themselves.

Drawn on Procreate with iPad and Apple Pencil by John Glock - November 2025