Bodies of Water

Artist Statement

We are born in water, and made of water. So it’s only natural that water can feel like a refuge from the rest of the world.

This series began as an expression of the JOY that I feel when I’m in water.  In water, I am weightless, and free. I began creating self-portraits that capture the feeling of being in water- blurry but easy and bright. I soon wanted to make paintings of others in water as well. Some of these paintings represent significant memories, such as  my mother and niece enjoying a moment together in an outdoor pool, or moments I want to savor, like an ice-cold dip in an alpine lake with a good friend. Others are moments that I caught in passing, such as swimmers in a community pool. 

I’m drawn to how people interact with each other, particularly in public settings such as a community swimming pool. How does water make other people feel? Do they get the same joy as me? I love the community pool setting, with people of all ages and walks of life mixed together, each having their own experience in a shared space. Perhaps because I was raised in a family  of habitual swimmers and splashers, I feel very at home in this setting, united with my fellow pool-goers, drawn to the water for different reasons: for healing, for endorphins, for movement, for pain relief, for relaxation, for community, for joy.

Julia Himmelstein is a painter and art educator in Portland. She has been swimming, diving, and getting splashed for pretty much her whole life.