SOLD
Two young women faced a steep, vertical wall of layered stone. Lush ferns spilled from its crevices. At the base of the wall a small, natural grotto framed an imperceptible crack from which a stream of pure water bubbled. Here, beyond any understanding, the water flowed bounteously year-round from the stony body of the earth; and all knew that without the gifts of water, life’s urge to thrust upward toward the warmth of the sun would come to nothing. The women placed their seed-cakes near the edge of the stream and asked the Lady of the Well-spring to bless them with affectionate marriage, armfuls of children, rich produce from the gardens, a large herd of cattle, and safety from disease and hurt.
Across from where they stood on the bank of the narrow rivulet and for only the briefest moment, a third woman joined them. She sat upon a moss-covered rock, appearing to be as comfortable as if she were seated upon a high, round, soft pillow. The Lady smiled and looked upon the two young friends with kindness, for they were her children just as were the birds, the fish, the trees and flowers. Her silver hair, tied back in a spiral knot, glinted so brilliantly with the sun’s golden reflections the girls were forced to shade their eyes. But no sooner than they had done so and their vision of the Lady was gone, leaving behind only her rippling laughter and a memory of that day, floating up now and then from their soul’s deep wells, appearing as suddenly and elusively as their vision of the Lady had: at such times when they each looked into the eyes of one of their children or picked a pail of luscious berries from their gardens and there she was again in remembrance’s deep recesses, bubbling up like a visitation of the sweet-water spring they had visited that day so long ago.
Bronze (metal-clay, carved, molded), resin and pigments, Indian Agate, Sterling Silver
JMMikkelsen 