The Gift
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“The Gift” was a painting I created for “Reflections”, a show at the UNB Art Centre in 2023 to honour World Water Week.
In the face of a concept so profound and fundamental water in our world, I could only respond by creating a painting with simple gratitude for the abundance of clean water that we enjoy in New Brunswick. We are part of the water cycle that we rely on, and yet in our modern, abstract lives, do we even see it? Do we appreciate what we do have?
“The Gift” which portrays a friend’s sink reminds us how much we take for granted the luxury of easy access to clean water in our households. As we know, this is not the reality for so many people around the world, and as of 2025, as many as 38 First Nations communities in Canada. It is difficult to truly appreciate the enormity of the effect on individuals who are denied this human right.
Theresa MacKnight
