1 of 5
Mary Dougherty
Words for Water
2 of 5
Mary Dougherty
Words for Water
3 of 5
Mary Dougherty
Words for Water
4 of 5
Mary Dougherty
Words for Water
5 of 5
Mary Dougherty
Words for Water
“If you could speak for water, what would you say?”
That’s the question behind Words for Water, a photography project started in September by Bayfield resident Mary Dougherty.
“The intent of this project,” Mary says, “is to encourage people who live in the Lake Superior basin (or who just love Lake Superior) to think and act collectively when it comes to any legislation, industry or regulations that affect water quality. At its heart, Words for Water is a way to gather our words and stitch them into a collective love story to Lake Superior.”
Mary photographs each participant with his or her chosen words, written on a chalkboard, and adds the image to a growing collection, posted online and in a series of video compilations. It’s a simple idea that reveals, powerfully, what the Lake means to its people. The words shared so far, from hundreds of participants, encompass everything from “happiness” and “a quenching sip of life” to a fisherman’s “job security.”
Next, she’s taking the project beyond the Wisconsin shore of the Lake, to Minnesota and Michigan. Watch for updates on the project’s Facebook page. If you would like to participate, contact Mary via email, info@wordsforwater.com.
As for Mary’s own word? “I knew immediately what my word would be – sacred,” she wrote when posting her photo. “For me, it's wild places, like Lake Superior, where I feel and hear the sacred Divine's heartbeat most clearly – where I'm reminded to be humble, brave and compassionate.”