I am a painter, writer, and open water swimmer. The flux, heft, and ever-changing moods of Lake Michigan inspire my paintings. I use the simple elements of sky, horizon, and water to explore the boundless possibilities of emotional temperature.

As a swimmer, I am mesmerized by the play of light just above and below the surface of deep water. I aim for that luminosity in my paintings. Using both opaque color and transparent glazes, I build up layers of paint. I sand between each layer, slightly abrading the surface and eliminating evidence of brushstrokes. The repeated action of accumulation then subtraction of color creates the illusion of depth.

***

In November 2020, I began a regular practice of dipping in cold water. Because of Covid, I decided to forgo swimming in an indoor pool during the winter, but I did want to stay connected to Lake Michigan.

I realized that immersion in cold water for a few minutes was enough to lift my mood for several hours. This changed my relationship to my paintings. My experience of euphoria in cold water allowed a thought to emerge: that my love of Lake Michigan represents more than my love swimming. It represents my desire for the shift in perception that comes from swimming in open water, no matter the season.

This realization allowed me to understand that, in my own painting, water and sky are visible symbols for invisible shifts in consciousness. I depict them as a way to communicate transformation in perception.

***

In the anthology, All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, Abigail Dillen, a lawyer for climate justice, writes, “We underestimate the power of contribution—of acting within our own sphere of influence to tackle the piece of the problem that is right in front of us.”

The one thing I can do, where I am, in Chicago, and having the skills and passions that I have, is to entice people to love Lake Michigan as much as I do. Will that stop the inexorable motion of climate change? Not by itself it won’t. But if my actions get added to the actions of everyone else who is passionate about their own part of the natural world, it will add momentum to a global shift in consciousness that could possibly make a difference. In my most optimistic moments, I see my work as a small but essential part in this shift.

The best we can make of our time on the planet is to love where we are and do our best to care for it. The more people who actively participate in the care of our planet, the more collective knowledge we can generate. The more creative we can be with our knowledge, the more we can have fun in the face of our fears. This sense of play is where transformation lies. The power of connection with other people will bring us solutions.

Louise LeBourgeois earned an MFA in Painting from Northwestern University in 1994 and an MFA in Creative Writing-Nonfiction from Columbia College Chicago in 2016.

She has exhibited her paintings in galleries throughout the United States and in Italy, Japan, and the Netherlands. Her paintings are included in the collections of the Union League Club of Chicago, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, The University of Chicago Hospitals, Fermilab, Ampersand Art Supply, Indiana University Northwest, as well as several private and corporate collections. She has been awarded grants from Artadia and the Illinois Art Council.

She has published her essays in the Chicago Quarterly Review, The Rumpus, and Our America. She and her husband, the painter Steven Carrelli, live in Chicago, just a short walk from Lake Michigan.

Gallery Affiliations

Claire Carino Contemporary
www.clairecarino.com

Dolby Chadwick Gallery, San Francisco
www.dolbychadwickgallery.com