For this commission, I traveled to Chicago to collect samples from points along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan — from a site on the riverwalk just steps from this building, to the public beach at Ohio Street, and the Park 571 boat launch in Bridgeport. Returning to my studio, I poured the collected materials with acrylic paint over canvas to emulate the natural flow of the water. She then brushes thin layers of resonant color over the dried texture to express the movement, mood and surface reflections that she observed at the shoreline.

Every time I dips her paintbrush in collected water, I connect with its source. This connection flows onto the canvas, creating a painting that realizes our relationship with water. This triptych offers an opportunity to reflect on the natural ecosystems that intersect with the Chicago River, and also the native garden located on the terrace.