This series of portraits emerged out of a necessity to embrace myself amidst the treacherous waters of the world we're all wading through. Over the summer, I would sink into my inflatable pool as a sort of ritual. Like a plant whose roots got a little too dry, I watered myself, and from my own reference photos, I began to create self portraits. They became a mirror and a portal, reminding me of power, complexity, tension. They reminded me of baptism; a holy cleansing, a purification, a submergence in the Spirit. Water in our lives usually means getting physically clean, i.e. a shower, a bath, washing our face, and especially right now, washing our hands. And when we clean ourselves, when we slip into that swimming pool or warm bath, we become aware of how our bodies feel. Those physical feelings point us to meta-physical spaces. We feel refreshed and renewed, relaxed and ready. Despite (or in spite of) varying beliefs about God, this spiritual link with water remains.
As I continued with my watery reclamation, I wondered if other women would benefit from taking part in their own submerged ritual, if they would send me photographic evidence and reference for portraits. So I put out a call. Whether struggling with physical or mental illness, body image, sexual assault, abuse, harassment, racism, sexism, or a combination of these, women responded and continue to respond. These portraits stand as a sort of baptismal relic, a symbol of renewal as women got to know their physical beings just as they are, and tied them even closer to their emotional, mental, spiritual, meta-physical selves. These are intimate pieces. This is an intimate act, inviting you here. I hope you'll stay a while.