Surrendering all control, allowing the elemental wisdom of water to guide the direction of Ash Holmes’ new body of works, Body of Waters. Water, ever powerful—both fast and slow, formless and free—shapes each canvas. The process began with an accident, a winter flood that soaked fabric and left behind organic marks on the floor. From this serendipity, a new practice was born: fabric and paint immersed in water, draped and fermented over days, leaving behind mysteries on the surface of the canvas. The outcome is always unknown, the final image a reflection of the water’s will. Each piece in this series emerges from this delicate balance of chance and intention, surrendering to water’s uncontrollable force. Holmes’ works blur the boundary between landscape and abstraction, inviting us to reflect on the fluidity of form and emotion. Like Narcissus gazing into his first mirror, these paintings reflect back something deeper—an invitation to look within and see where we are, emotionally and spiritually. Water, with its mythical connection to life, birth, and reflection, becomes both the subject and the process. It reminds us of the unpredictable currents of life—beautiful in their imperfection, powerful in their unpredictability. In Body of Waters, Holmes captures the allure of water’s formlessness, letting it transform her canvases into living, breathing works. - Words by Venn Miles