acrylic, paper, compound, rock, and the following specimens:
pond slider turtle shell, dragonfly (euphaea masoni), clam fossil (Mazon Creek), Trionix turtle fossil, Pachychilidae shell, fern fossil (Pecopteris) (Mazon Creek), Unionidae (quadrula quadrula), Viviparidae shell (campeloma decisum), cicada

"Sister Water‚" is one of four feature commissioned pieces on the pediatric floors of the OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. Geared to appeal to a young population, the theme of each floor is based on a portion of St. Francis‚'s "Canticle of the Creatures‚" that addresses different aspects of the environment. "Sister Water‚" was the piece that I connected with most. It is teeming with life! I thought that the use of water was obvious - so the pouring of the piece involved as much water as ink. An aerial view of the Illinois River as it flows through Peoria is sculpted into the middle panel. Species native to Illinois - bluegill, muskie, rainbow salmon, red-eared pond sliders (turtle), bullfrogs and tadpoles were rendered in low relief using modeling paste and ink on paper. I chose Snell Roundhand Bold as the text font for its flowing, feminine quality, and wrapped it to follow the flow of the water. The river bottom incorporates gravel, shells, fossils and human trash/remnants - pennies, bottle caps, and nails. The aquatic plants were inspired by lily pads, curly pondweed and wild celery. The insets in the river floor hold indigenous specimens and fossils. They are encased in resin, a strong clear substance that allows them to be seen, but not removed or harmed.