Behind the peacock and all over the number on the back is an overflowing of pink cherry blossoms.
“Cherry blossoms are interesting in that they’re very important to Japanese culture. Cherry blossoms are an important symbol of Spring and they’re in a lot of art,” Ghosh-Witherspoon said. “They’re famous in Japan. But they’re also a big part of Essex County and New Jersey. It was a nice element that ties the two cultures together.
“That’s why I incorporated that, and the delicate nature of the pink and the flowers with the sport, I like that contrast.”
For extra pop, a few maroon hibiscus flowers are sprinkled into the background.
“With the hibiscus flowers, those are very important across Asia in ceremonies, festivals and important occasions,” she said. “I thought it was another nice element that ties a lot of different Asian cultures together.”
Ghosh-Witherspoon enjoyed the challenge of bridging together the many Asian cultures and the hockey world. And it’s something she never thought of doing until this project.
“I really enjoyed bridging cultures together. Something I would never have thought about is making my art a part of a sport like hockey,” she said. “To have that be exposed to people who might not have thought to watch the sport or be involved in the sport, it’s interesting that they might open their eyes to something different. I think it’s important that kids, who might not see themselves in certain sports like hockey, that maybe the aspect of bringing it in artistically could spark some interest in the sport and bring a new audience to it.
“But I think that integration is important. It opens up new worlds. A hockey audience might be exposed to something different from the Asian community. And the Asian community can also be exposed to something new.”
Ghosh-Witherspoon is also looking forward to attending API Night and seeing the various elements and initiatives to splice together the many cultures. And, of course, Ghosh-Witherspoon is excited to see her final product brought to life.
“I love that the Devils are doing this night. It’s great,” she said. “I do designs for fabric but never in the context of sports. So, I found that exciting. I’m really fascinated when things come alive and its wearable art. That’s really cool, too.”