In this painting, I called forth the bond of sisterhood, one that I lacked in childhood as the only girl with five brothers. I often longed for the two sisters my mother bore whom I never met. One was born seven years before me and died in early childhood. The other died at birth when I was five, crushing my last hope for a much-desired sister.
To create this scene of sisterhood, I began with a moss-covered tree as a verdant ‘vessel’ for the girls. The large, magical moon, the curving vines and hills, the moving water, and the otter all extend the theme of the feminine energy. My hope is that viewing this painting will remind us—men and women both—of the nurturing, playful elements we can choose to explore and cultivate.
