This painting is inspired by childhood memories of my siblings and me swimming with the lily pads in the black pond behind our house in Minnesota.
I was simply fascinated by the lily pads, especially their root system. We would grab hold of the stems connected to their roots and try to pull them out to clear space for swimming. Try we would; they did not let go easily. I distinctly remember their smooth stretchy feel, their bright yellow color, and the spring of each lily pad as it held tight to where it was grounded, connected to the earth below. Remarkable. As I move through this life, I realize how much we can learn from one of nature’s wonders, the waterlily.