Rachel Lash
Trek North High School
In my oil pastel, I sought to reveal the true value of water, a resource we take for granted and waste. Yet, this simple necessity is often the cause of death in many third world countries.
My image is a young child of poverty with his hands outstretched to collect a flowing stream of water. The boy represents all those who do not have ready access to this resource.
The background of my artwork is a water theme collage of news articles. Some express a need to conserve it; others remind people how much water they need to drink. No matter what the message, they all reveal how entirely we depend on it.
Choice of color is also used to emphasize the importance of water. My background color is dark to represent a sense of emptiness and hardship. I contrast that sharply with the illuminating white used for the water. The light which the water sheds on the young boy represents the life the water nourishes within him.
Few people realize how valuable water is, not only to those who have none, which is represented by the young boy in the picture, but also to us in the many ways we use it, which makes up the background.