Formed from fragments of china gathered from the exposed floor of Owens Lake, this piece reflects a landscape altered by diversion. Once a thriving inland sea, the lake was drained to supply water to Los Angeles, leaving behind a vast dry basin whose dust continues to mark the air and memory of the eastern Sierra.

Waterline refers to the receding levels of the Salton Sea, which diminishes each year due to agricultural runoff declines, reduced water inflows, and rising temperatures. As the water retreats, it exposes vast stretches of toxic playa laden with harmful chemicals like arsenic and selenium. These particles become airborne, creating hazardous dust storms that threaten the health of nearby communities.

The figure, in contemplation and prayer for humanity, carries the weight of this environmental decline. Waterline marks etched into the sculpture’s back trace the sea’s vanishing presence, serving as a haunting record of loss and a plea for awareness and change