Not black and white

The following is an ekphrastic essay (inspired by artwork) written for Art in the AM and read on December 10, 2025. The full Mary Jo Tarallo photograph that served as inspiration is below the essay.

For the moment, she stands alone. Her formidable perch rises from a restless sea. A rocky bluff: solid, unshakable. The path to the summit requires navigating rough terrain, pushing through hard climb, pausing on respite ledges, and nursing wounds from unexpected stumbles.

Crystal blue waves swirl against the cliff face, returning to a playful dance after a retreating storm. She doesn’t notice their invitation to dive into their cold depths, to be buoyed in their strong currents. Yet she hears their beat and feels their spray, a constant reminder of unseen forces ever changing. 

See her motionless on the lookout, surveying the rippling sea. Straight back, face forward, head held high. What could she be thinking? About… the meaning of life. About what next steps to take. About the state of the world. About responsibilities that need her attention. Is she feeling determined? Eager? Anxious? Her demeanor seems unreadable.

While she ponders alone, her colony is nearby. They count on her, and she relies on them. They will traverse varying landscapes as they go about their lives, and together, they will explore their dreams, nurture their community, and create their story. The actions of each will determine whether they survive and how they thrive.

And so she breathes in and out, paused on the precipice.

The sky is clearing. Grey clouds are separating on a light breeze, and pale blue promise is peeking through. Whatever she has borne, whatever she is facing, the future is brighter.

And she stands, one of many, embodying her resolutions and gathering her courage, poised to meet the moment.

Photograph by Mary Jo Tarallo / titled: Lonely Penguin