The Source of Water

"The Source of Water", is an acrylic on canvas painting completed in October, 2008. Size is 18"x24". The painting is after a painting by John Auguste Dominique Ingres circa 1820. Ingres' painting was after an even earlier painting, I can not remember the resource now, but I may do the research on this later.

In my painting the water goddess is standing in a canyon. A shaft of light streams across the canvas in a diagonal. A waterfall cascades from the upper right of the canvas. The waterfall is impasto paint with some Golden brand mica paint to add a touch of sparkle. The figure is painted with flat paint. From the classic jug on her shoulder pours an eternal stream of water to nourish the earth.

Starting with the jug there is a circle, a metaphor for the earth water cycle. On earth water comes down in rain, flows into streams and lakes, evaporates to clouds and then rains down again. In the painting, starting with the jug, water streams down and connects with the waterfall splash, the circle continues up the waterfall and reconnects with the jug by way of the shaft of light.

Water, sun (fire), earth, air. The basic elements of life on earth. This painting celebrates the life giving purity of water.