Creator
Jacqueline Rutherfurd
Object
30”x40” painting of San Francisco Bay, with the faces of two women in the sky above the Golden Gate Bridge.
Description
This painting was influenced by the work of Idle No More SF Bay. Their website states, “Inspired by the First Nations Idle No More movement, we are a group of Native Americans and allies working together to create positive change concerning Indigenous rights, the rights of Mother Earth, and the rights of the coming generations to a sustainable and healthy environment.” Idle No More has been fighting against the dredging of San Francisco Bay. This dredging would allow for bigger ships to access the oil refineries that surround the Bay Area. The dredging itself, and the events it would allow for, would have disastrous impacts on the environment and health of the people who live in the surrounding areas. In my painting, the swirling green and blue currents in the water represent the ideal state of the San Francisco Bay and the women in the sky represent a feminine energy of protection over the water. Women, especially indigenous women, are very closely connected to the water and often inhabit the role of a protector.