WATER IS SACRED
Virtual Exhibition
September 1 - October 8, 2023
JENNY ABRAMSON
"These images are from a new series titled 'WaterWorld,' which explores the silvery world of heavy winter rains. After years of fire and drought that had dismantled any last shred of denial, the winter floods of 2023 prompted this new response to the effects of global warming. As the weeks of rain continued, water became a metaphor for sadness, awe, and oddly, even reassurance.
I went out to capture the impacts of torrential rain on the built and natural environment near my home in rural Sonoma County. The hazy air shimmered, dripping with humidity; swollen waterways reflected the turmoil and sadness of life. Plant life clung to whatever toehold it could find, then expanded its footprint and turned chaos into order. Between storms, the placidity of a nearby seasonal lake recalled Noah’s rainbow; and sparkles of light glistening on the water evoked the farthest galaxies and the essence of life."
"These images are from a new series titled 'WaterWorld,' which explores the silvery world of heavy winter rains. After years of fire and drought that had dismantled any last shred of denial, the winter floods of 2023 prompted this new response to the effects of global warming. As the weeks of rain continued, water became a metaphor for sadness, awe, and oddly, even reassurance.
I went out to capture the impacts of torrential rain on the built and natural environment near my home in rural Sonoma County. The hazy air shimmered, dripping with humidity; swollen waterways reflected the turmoil and sadness of life. Plant life clung to whatever toehold it could find, then expanded its footprint and turned chaos into order. Between storms, the placidity of a nearby seasonal lake recalled Noah’s rainbow; and sparkles of light glistening on the water evoked the farthest galaxies and the essence of life."
The Torrent; Archival Pigment Print; 10" wide x 14" high in a 16" x 20" frame; Opening image of "WaterWorld," a series capturing the impacts of the torrential rains of January 2023, in rural Sonoma County, California.
Laguna in Winter; Archival pigment print; 14" wide x 10" high in a 16" x 20" frame; An image from "WaterWorld," a series capturing the impacts of the torrential rains of January 2023, in rural Sonoma County, California.
SYL ARENA
"As with the Earth's surface, water comprises the majority of our bodies. It flows through our veins and is exhaled in every breath. We are water-filled creatures living in a water-based world. Without water, we are nothing more than desiccated skeletons lost in the sands of time.
I am moved by the visual poetry of water. I see the potential for other universes in the drops of water collected on a leaf. I marvel at the beauty of early morning light reflecting off uncountable droplets of water drifting over a high-altitude lake. I celebrate how other life forms color salt flats as their populations explode and then fade away. In a long-abandoned pipe, I see the question of whether the settler abandoned the land or whether the land abandoned the settler."
I am moved by the visual poetry of water. I see the potential for other universes in the drops of water collected on a leaf. I marvel at the beauty of early morning light reflecting off uncountable droplets of water drifting over a high-altitude lake. I celebrate how other life forms color salt flats as their populations explode and then fade away. In a long-abandoned pipe, I see the question of whether the settler abandoned the land or whether the land abandoned the settler."
Broken Promises; Chromogenic Print; 10" x 14" print in 16" x 20" frame
SIOBHAN BYRNS
"Photographs were born from water and the need to freeze ourselves and make us immortal. Thematically, my work is an attempt to raise awareness of the fragility of nature and the human experience. This is a deep investigation into the natural phenomena of our emotional attachment with beauty, love, and the modern relationship and an exploration in oppositional and contradictory aspects of human nature and culture, including the tropes of life and death."
"Photographs were born from water and the need to freeze ourselves and make us immortal. Thematically, my work is an attempt to raise awareness of the fragility of nature and the human experience. This is a deep investigation into the natural phenomena of our emotional attachment with beauty, love, and the modern relationship and an exploration in oppositional and contradictory aspects of human nature and culture, including the tropes of life and death."
The Mother; Chlorophyll print on Hosta Leaf; 11x14; Chlorophyll printing is an alternative photographic process where photographic images are developed on natural leaves through the action of photosynthesis. This organic technique does not use chemicals since the photographs are exposed directly to the sunlight on plants or trees leaves.
Touch; Chlorophyll print on Hosta Leaf; 11x14
CAROLE CAVANAUGH
"My photographs link images of women to water as a reminder of the mythic nature and gendered inequalities of this fragile resource. Water has symbolized the feminine throughout time and across cultures. Myths, folklore, dramas, paintings, films, and commercial advertising associate the female body with oceans, tides, rivers, and lakes. Water is maternal, sacramental, sensual, mysterious, spiritual, and purifying. Birth, wisdom, creativity, and rebirth represent female power embodied in the life-giving and restorative qualities of water. These feminine idealizations stand in contrast to the vulnerability of women to water scarcity and climate change. According to a UN/WHO report (July, 2023) the worldwide threat to health and hygiene from unsafe drinking water falls disproportionately on women and adolescent girls."
"My photographs link images of women to water as a reminder of the mythic nature and gendered inequalities of this fragile resource. Water has symbolized the feminine throughout time and across cultures. Myths, folklore, dramas, paintings, films, and commercial advertising associate the female body with oceans, tides, rivers, and lakes. Water is maternal, sacramental, sensual, mysterious, spiritual, and purifying. Birth, wisdom, creativity, and rebirth represent female power embodied in the life-giving and restorative qualities of water. These feminine idealizations stand in contrast to the vulnerability of women to water scarcity and climate change. According to a UN/WHO report (July, 2023) the worldwide threat to health and hygiene from unsafe drinking water falls disproportionately on women and adolescent girls."
Hold Off the Earth Awhile; Pigment Print; 21.5" x 21.5" framed
Weeping Brook; Pigment Print; 21.5" x 21.5" framed
J.M. GOLDING
"Water is seen as the primeval source of all things in many sacred traditions; for example, those of India, China, and Egypt. Jungian psychology interprets water as symbolic of the unconscious self, a source of mystery, intuition, and wisdom residing within its depths. Like ancient traditions that understood water as the beginning of all life, Jungian thought emphasizes the feminine or maternal qualities of water, which can sometimes be an expression of birth or rebirth."
Peaceful reminds me of you; Archival pigment print from film negative; 14" x 14"
CHUCK HARLINS
"It’s very important that we collectively protect our environment so that it can continue to support not only us as humans but our whole ecosystem. People depend on water whether it is salt water or fresh. It is sacred and should be treated as such."
"It’s very important that we collectively protect our environment so that it can continue to support not only us as humans but our whole ecosystem. People depend on water whether it is salt water or fresh. It is sacred and should be treated as such."
A source of Survival; Photography; 24"x18" framed Print, 19"x13" Print; From the sand to the sea they work together so they can eat. Some are on land working together to haul in the net while others swim out and help to facilitate the effort. It is an all together effort and they understand how sacred is the water.
Working Together; Photography; 24"x18" framed Print, 19"x13" Print; In this composition family members, neighbors, friends, and strangers work together to haul in the catch from the night before. Water is sacred to them as it provides food on their plates. Photo was taken in Elmina, Ghana.
HILLARY JOHNSON
"Water is life, sacred. If we could see that we might be able to step into a reciprocal relationship with water rather than imagining it a commodity, a resource to be plundered or managed. In this way we might demonstrate our gratitude for water and open the way for mutual care and appreciation. This would be a powerful leverage for changing our climate trajectory as we currently mark the hottest days in the recorded history of our planet.
One of the paths to creating massive change is based on an idea posited in chaos theory, "sensitive dependence on initial conditions," which means that small actions can lead to ripples of change."
"Water is life, sacred. If we could see that we might be able to step into a reciprocal relationship with water rather than imagining it a commodity, a resource to be plundered or managed. In this way we might demonstrate our gratitude for water and open the way for mutual care and appreciation. This would be a powerful leverage for changing our climate trajectory as we currently mark the hottest days in the recorded history of our planet.
One of the paths to creating massive change is based on an idea posited in chaos theory, "sensitive dependence on initial conditions," which means that small actions can lead to ripples of change."
Trust; inkjet print; 8" x 10"; Jayme at Milford House, Nova Scotia, Canada
June 2023
The Suppliant; inkjet print; 8" x 10"; Francesca, at Milford House, Nova Scotia, Canada
June 2023
Inner Knowing; inkjet print; 8" x 10"; Skylar, at Milford House, Nova Scotia, Canada
June 2023
TOBY KAHN
Water Is Sacred.
"Water is magical. Soft to the touch it can sooth the body and the soul. The sound of a fountain or a gurgling stream can relax the mind and lower blood pressure but a rushing river has the power to carve rock canyons and make jagged boulders into sand. It can appear totally clear and transparent or translucent and blue or grey depending on the sky above. It is a viscous liquid or a solid if it gets cold enough; adding heat it becomes a gas rising into the air. Cooling it becomes a cloud up high or mist or fog hovering just above ground. As a liquid it will bend light and sometimes appear as a mirror. It is magnet for play for small children and adults as well. Falling as rain it transforms any space with its feel and sounds. We need it to live, we are made of it mostly and for all these reasons it is sacred."
"Water is magical. Soft to the touch it can sooth the body and the soul. The sound of a fountain or a gurgling stream can relax the mind and lower blood pressure but a rushing river has the power to carve rock canyons and make jagged boulders into sand. It can appear totally clear and transparent or translucent and blue or grey depending on the sky above. It is a viscous liquid or a solid if it gets cold enough; adding heat it becomes a gas rising into the air. Cooling it becomes a cloud up high or mist or fog hovering just above ground. As a liquid it will bend light and sometimes appear as a mirror. It is magnet for play for small children and adults as well. Falling as rain it transforms any space with its feel and sounds. We need it to live, we are made of it mostly and for all these reasons it is sacred."
Aquarium School; Silver Gelatin Print; 16" x 20" framed
MARÍA OCHOA
"WATER LIKE BLOOD
Pulsing humor of life
Trickster/shapeshifter
Liquid/solid/vapor
Water like blood
Pulses in Tierra Madre
Rivers/streams/creeks
Lakes/ponds/bays
Seas/oceans/rivulets
Wetlands/lagoons/swamps
Hearkening/inviting/challenging
Water demands respect
Honor the wave
Yemayá swallows
Those who
Defy her power
Water sustains and consumes
– María Ochoa"
Pulsing humor of life
Trickster/shapeshifter
Liquid/solid/vapor
Water like blood
Pulses in Tierra Madre
Rivers/streams/creeks
Lakes/ponds/bays
Seas/oceans/rivulets
Wetlands/lagoons/swamps
Hearkening/inviting/challenging
Water demands respect
Honor the wave
Yemayá swallows
Those who
Defy her power
Water sustains and consumes
– María Ochoa"
Puesta de Sol; Archival digital print on Moab Slickrock Metallic Pearl 260; 16 "x 16" x 1.5"; A wintry sunset at the Hayward Shoreline Trail.
ZACH PINE
"My early childhood visits to California coasts, rivers, lakes, and creeks are the foundation of my lifelong love of water and of the natural world. My socially engaged environmental art practice is love in action; my solo art-making in and with nature is the ongoing fuel for that love. Many of my socially engaged art endeavors and solo art practices are fueled by a desire to embrace the complexity, loss, and even fear that can come with all kinds of love, including love of nature. The photos in this exhibit reflect my efforts to face the increasing destructive force of ocean water due to climate change with constructive love while acknowledging that destruction is inevitable."
Morning, Kohala Coast, Hawaii; Dye sublimation print on white base aluminum, bamboo mount; 12" X 18"; Balanced lava stones and wave. The tide was going out, but the surf was rising due to an approaching storm. While balancing these stones at the spot reached by the last big wave wave, I asked myself: “Will these stones stay balanced since the tide is going out, or will the rising surf overcome the tide and take the stones?”
MATTHEW ROSS
"I've travelled the world, making pleasing images in many locations. But I always come back to water in its various forms and settings, a calming, meditative presence in my life and the source of life for all."
Ice Gems, Iceland; 38.5" x 26.5" framed; Most of the world's fresh water is frozen in glaciers and ice caps. Here, on Iceland's East coast, remnants of icebergs breaking off of Iceland's largest glacier meander slowly in an inland lagoon, eventually washing ashore at a nearby black sand beach. Here they are either melted by pitting where the iceberg remnant cannot roll around in the water, or are polished into translucent ice gems after polishing in the surf.
KAREN SAFER
"A foretelling: Years ago when traveling in the Middle East, I visited a water museum in Yazid. At the time, I thought it rather odd because in the United States we did not seem to suffer from that deficiency and thus it seemed foreign in concept. It made me realize, however, how precious water was to countries with little ability to generate fresh supplies from their land’s resources. It was their “gold.” When I first visited Alaska in the 60s, there were huge ice caps right up to the wharfs. Last time I was there in 2016, sadly there were only small bits of floating pieces visible. As the world has unfolded, we now KNOW how precious it is in a world not focused enough early on to the realities of climate change. I have traveled to countries with great water resources (Canada) to the Middle Eastern countries with desecrated dry lands and both are suffering. We hope that decision makers (as well as ourselves) are earnestly leaning towards better solutions to help the planet. I have selected images that show great waterpower in places like Norway to melting ice caps in Greenland. Images from California’s hottest spot in Death Valley to old Babylonian fields in Iraq once highly populated capitals now devoid of humans and covered with tumbleweeds. I’ve watched people carry their water from rivers in Burma to their homes and use and depend on that same water to wash their clothes. WATER is A VERY PRECIOUS and a SACRED element and life force of our planet. As an artist and Aquarian, I have a great respect and love for water."
Burmese Water Buckets; Photography; 16" x 14" framed; The Irrawaddy River flows through Burma and is their life force for all things including fresh drinking water, clothes washing and bathing among other things. Here a woman carries her bucket of water fetched from the river back to her dwelling up the hill. Water is essential to life and has been taken for granted for eons.
Babylon Vanished; Photography; 20" x 16" framed; Traveling in war torn Iraq to see the once mighty lands of Babylon and Sumeria now devastated and barren due to wars and climate effects is revelatory. I was in the barren lands dried up by sun and heat and lack of water throughout what was once filled with numerous thriving metropolises. As water shifted and narrowed from the Euphrates to the Tigress, towns dried up and vanished. This is an image in the area near the Euphrates marshes by Basra. Barren and deserted now.
TANJA SCHLOSSER
"Water is life. Water is sacred and to be treasured. I don't refer to water as "it" because I feel this vital element has energy- water is alive and is part if us. We are deeply dependent and interconnected. Besides being essential to our survival, water has so much to teach us. Water sustains us physically as well as spiritually- by literally reflecting back to us so much. Water nourishes, heals and restores us. Humans might just survive if we develop a deeper, more reciprocal relationship with water. If we take better care of the world's waters, thinking of water not just as a commodity, there for unlimited taking, but finite, alive, and precious."
Sacred Waters; Digital, archival matte photo wrapped around 1/4 in. hardboard; 8" x 8"; These mineral springs and creek calm the body, quiet the mind and heal the heart. The medicinal waters on the ceded land of the Patwin, Pomo, Wintun and Colusi people are a gift from the our earth, encouraging us to slow down, appreciate and relax into nature's embrace. We get to get back to the basics, to rest deeply, restore and re-connect. Capturing the magical, mystical quality of this special place was also a gift.
WENDY & JEFF SPARKS TORQUEMADA
"Humans are the stewards of the land and water is the liquid which supports all living things on earth. It is often said that water is life and as wildlife photographers we understand the importance of keeping our watersheds and oceans healthy, so the flora and the fauna can thrive."
A Quick Drink; Digital Photography on Metal Print; 20" x 30.5"; The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972 and provided a structure for regulating pollution in our waters. Wildlife along the watershed corridors have thrived since its passage benefiting from the clean water which they now have access to as they go about the daily task of surviving. This bobcat briefly paused for a quick drink of fresh clear water before she headed to her favorite hunting spot.
The Ocean Is Not a Trash Can; Digital Photography on Metal Print; 16" x 24"; Sea otters are an endangered species and they need clean ocean water to survive. This curious young sea otter pup found a beer bottle sitting on the bottom of an estuary. The juvenile otter brought it to the surface of the water and began playing and gnawing on the bottle. All too often we find trash floating in the ocean where it can negatively impact marine wildlife. This image is an important reminder to properly dispose of or recycle containers.
JOHN STUMBOS
"Water is a sacred gift from the creator. It sustains, cleans, purifies, heals and connects all beings. Without water, life does not exist. In that knowledge lies the mystery and its intrinsic spiritual quality. Perhaps writer and poet Loren Eiseley said it best: If there’s magic on this planet, it is contained in water. Photographing water in its various natural states connects me to the world in a way that fills me with gratitude and wonder. Sharing my photography with others is a way to give thanks and to affirm the beauty and majesty I find in nature."
Monsoon Magic, Fine Art Giclee Print, 12" x 18"; New Mexico and other areas across the desert Southwest experience a summertime phenomenon known as the monsoon season. Towering thunderstorms can develop on relatively short notice, as this one did about sunset last June over a large ranch south of Santa Fe. From a safe distance, these thunderstorms are stunningly beautiful. If one of these beauties rolls overhead, an enthralling spectacle of intense rainfall, lightning and thunder is all but assured. This concentrated rainfall is a significant force shaping the landscape of these regions.
ANDREA TAYLOR
"Water is a source of power. It can heal and support life and can be equally devastating if in too much quantity at once. Like other elements of nature, I believe we need to learn to live in harmony with water and see the prevalence of drought and atmospheric rivers as a signal to find that harmony and contribute to balance."
Banjar Reflection; Giclee; 8" x 10" framed; Water is everywhere in Banjarmasin, Indonesia. This town in Southern Borneo sits on the delta of the Barito River. Rains are torrential and the area is no stranger to flooding, to the extent that houses are built on low stilts, and many homes perpetually have water underneath them. While I was a guest educator at a small university in town, they put me up in a house not as colorful as this one where there was a marshy pond under it year-round. There were many days when I came home from teaching one of my classes and there’d be someone with a fishing line that pretty much went right under my house.
MELISSA WOODBURN
"I walk at the Bay Trail or on the hills nearby on a daily basis. During the Pandemic Lockdown, this became part of my mental health ritual: self-healing as I walked and listened to the rhythms of the shore and hills.
The edge of the wetlands is a magical place. Considered among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, wetlands serve as home to a wide range of plant and animal species. As the tide moves gently in and out, organic material is broken into smaller and smaller pieces to serve as food for the smallest organisms. Wetlands help purify water, replenish groundwater and serve as storm protection and flood control.
And this year, after our drought broke: Wow! A magical rainy day walk shows every surface was covered in drips and drops, thousands of prisms sparkling in the sun."
The edge of the wetlands is a magical place. Considered among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, wetlands serve as home to a wide range of plant and animal species. As the tide moves gently in and out, organic material is broken into smaller and smaller pieces to serve as food for the smallest organisms. Wetlands help purify water, replenish groundwater and serve as storm protection and flood control.
And this year, after our drought broke: Wow! A magical rainy day walk shows every surface was covered in drips and drops, thousands of prisms sparkling in the sun."
Magical Rainy Day Walk; Digital Photography, archival inks on aluminum; 15" x 20"; After years of drought, our rain seems especially sacred. This year, after our drought broke: Wow! A magical rainy day walk shows every surface was covered in drips and drops, thousands of prisms sparkling in the sun.
