This series is called “Awash” and is an exploration of grief after the murder of my older sister Lynn in 2003. While I had an intense period of sorrow at first, the grieving process actually continued largely beneath the surface and unexamined for years.
In making the images, I relied on linking my initial unending bout of tears and the subsequent inability to cry at all to the water resources and severe drought in the Southwest where I live. I searched for the presence of water in the desert, whether puddles after a winter shower; reservoirs of manmade lakes, fountains and pools; or running washes during the summer monsoons. The wet landscape became a metaphor for the stages of grief. Getting close to these bodies of water and the floating remnants I found in them offered insight into healing. There was solace in knowing that the rain would eventually come, that its force could be destructive and life sustaining at the same time.
Materials for this project were chosen to emphasize the metaphors. The use of translucent paper is inspired by the concept of the “thin veil between heaven and earth, life and death.” Since gold has been associated with the spiritual world in art and culture, I wanted to incorporate gold leaf to symbolize the precious nature of life and relationships.
I hope this series reflects the universal emotions associated with grief and mourning and the possibility of finding comfort in the connections between nature and the human spirit.
