Joanne Hewko

Water Under the Bridge

“Something in the past that cannot be controlled or undone, but must be accepted, forgiven, or forgotten.”

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 Water Under the Bridge examines through drawing, the intersection between a specific place and my personal responses to it. Attracted to a bridge over the reversing falls of the Tillicum Narrows, I spent time making observations and collecting images. As a place for self-reflection, the bridge and the changing flow of water became metaphors for transitions in my life, shifting relationships and the passage of time. 

This series of charcoal drawings include depictions, references to maps and overviews, with over-laid impressions and interpretations from imagination. The interplay between abstraction and representation is important to me. Beginning by drawing recognizable objects and places I creates a point of departure. As the process of investigation unfolds, abstraction is used to describe intangibles such as emotions, feelings and visceral sensations. 

Conscious of the treacherousness of the water, the precariousness of my footing, and the dark, moodiness of the atmosphere, I reflect on the uncertainty that underlies our life experiences.