“No Water, No Life. No Blue, No Green”

W is the most precious and essential natural resource. If unadulterated and at room temperature, it is tasteless, odorless (to humans), and transparent. Water sustains life, reshapes topography, provides passage and conveyance, and delineates and destroys geopolitical boundaries. Water comprises ≈71% of Earth’s surface, and the United States Geological Survey estimates that Earth is covered by more than 332,500,000 cubic miles (mi3) of water. Archaeology, history, and anthropology corroborate that most civilizations originated near water. American marine biologist Sylvia Earl offers this perspective: “No water, no life. No blue, no green.” Vivid blues and greens interspersed with layers of white splash across this month’s cover art, “Water Prayer I,” one of a series of water-related pieces from the portfolio of artist Patricia Goslee, who lives in Washington, DC, United States. Her abstract work points to the possibility of mutability and transformation in water. A hazy hatchwork sweeps across the top of the painting and repeats in the lower right. Green and pale blue spheres of color float above the patterns. Dominating the image, a dense Vshaped amalgamation of speckled shapes—some uniform Patricia Goslee, (b. 1960), Water Prayer I, 2005 (detail). Acrylic on canvas, 11 in × 17 in/28 cm × 43 cm. Digital image courtesy of the artist. Washington, DC, United States. ABOUT THE COVER