16,000 Connections

16,000 Connections installed, Corrine Woodman Gallery, The Arts Center, 2017 — *16,000 Connections* installed, Corrine Woodman Gallery, The Arts Center, 2017

November201612 inch x 36 inchesAcrylic on wood panel — *November*
2016
12 inch x 36 inches
Acrylic on wood panel

One, Two Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen201643 inches x 43 inches installed, 10 inch x 10 inch panelsAcrylic on wood panel — *One, Two Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen*
2016
43 inches x 43 inches installed, 10 inch x 10 inch panels
Acrylic on wood panel

September201612 inch x 36 inchesAcrylic on wood panel — *September*
2016
12 inch x 36 inches
Acrylic on wood panel

There are over 16,000 connections to the water system in Corvallis, Oregon according to the Water Management and Conservation Guide for Corvallis published in November 2012. These 16 paintings originate from the ritual of retreating to the Willamette River near my home to find space to pause and breath. Each panel represents a single visit, a moment of connection.

Showing up to pause and breathe turned into an awareness that we build lives around this place. We build lives around water. This is part of how I live. I bathe in it, I cook with it, I drink it. Most of the water we use daily in Corvallis comes from the Willamette River. What began as a simple act of self-care turned into a deeper understanding of the rich connections and traditions surrounding our proximity to water.