Gateway to Freedom

By Ryan Pena

Piece description from the artist

On my way to Pontiac, Illinois from Tulsa, Oklahoma, I decided to stop in St. Louis for my first visit, with my mind set on the Gateway Arch, to feel the impact of a monument that inspired those who have marveled at its beauty, by horse, boat, car, or plane. It was a beautiful sunny day with clear blue skies reflecting in the murky waters of the Mississippi River, filled with people, especially since the Cardinals were hosting the Chicago Cubs, draping the crowds in a contrast between red and blue, as construction workers hammered away at the park's renovations, filling the environment with so many sounds of life, until One stood out above All…the plane flying above me, flying gracefully against the blue skies, floating freely within the abyss of the Universe, reflecting the freedom I felt as I pressed the shutter.