The Source Original

11x14 Gouache on paper The Source is a painting of Lake Victoria in Uganda, the great body of water that feeds the Nile River. I lived near the lake while studying abroad in college, and this painting is based on a photograph I took during that time. Years later, I found myself returning to the image with a new understanding of why I have always been drawn to water. There is something about water that helps us move through life. When you have a headache, drink water. When you've had a hard day, take a bath. When your paints aren't moving the way you want them to, add more water (advice I give in my workshops all the time). Water softens, carries, cleanses, and teaches us to let things move instead of holding everything in place. Sometimes calm is simply giving things enough time to settle, like the sediment at the bottom of a still body of water. I also love the double meaning of the word source. Lake Victoria is a literal source, but we all have our own places where we return to find what nourishes –a source for our spiritual lives and a source for the creative, both found inside of us. All of these sources–Nature, spirituality + creativity– are how we find our way back to ourselves. This piece is meant to remind you that the answers you are looking for may not be as far away as they seem. Sometimes you simply have to return to the source. This is the original The Source, painted from my own experience of living near Lake Victoria in Uganda. The original holds the physical brushstrokes, color, and texture of the painting, making it a particularly personal piece from my collection.