"Reverence No. 2" and "Reverence No. 3" Elle Ray James

Elle Ray James, Fort Smith, AR

Reverence No. 2, 2026

Watercolor pencils, watercolor, and acrylic

6 x 6”

The power of nature to care for us or bring us to our knees is incomparable. We are at the mercy of nature, and yet it is a gift to experience. Reverence for nature can connect us to one another even when we’re all alone. Here, my reverence for nature is shown in the warm but vibrant palette with its gold accents. My belief that nature reminds us we are all connected shines through in the gold linework as well as our fantastic ability to put ourselves back together. Like nature, we can become fractured. And it is in nature and in our connectedness that we can start to put the pieces back together.

Reverence No. 3, 2026

Watercolor pencils, watercolor, and acrylic

5 x 5”

We are strong like the earth and its mountains, yet we are also so fragile, like a flower’s petal. This disparity is actually versatility, and it is one of our strengths. Here, my reverence for nature is shown in the warm but vibrant palette with its gold accents. In nature, we can see ourselves. In nature, we can connect. In nature, we can heal and learn and grow. Just like nature itself. I communicate this in the gold linework, meant to resemble Kintsugi.