JESSICA SWANSON

To be connected to place is to recognize that the land holds us, teaches us, and shapes who we are. The river and its stones are not only natural features but living archives, carrying the memory of the flowing water, the strength of the earth, and the quiet resilience of time.

In my work with river stones, I honor this relationship. Each stone I gather has been shaped by the current, polished by seasons, and held within the embrace of the river's bed. By transforming these stones into pieces of art, I am not changing their essence, but revealing the story already within them. They become small vessels carrying the spirit of the river and the land it nourishes.

This work is both creative and reverent. To shape and carry these stones forward is to acknowledge our responsibility to the places we love. Each piece invites us to remember our own connection to earth, to feel rooted in the landscapes that sustain us, and to carry with us a reminder of the beauty, belonging, and care that flow from being truly connected to place.