Water Is Life 11.5”x3” Bumper Sticker

This is a full size (11.5" long, 3" tall) bumper sticker that reads "Water Is Life". The image, originally cut out of paper with scissors in the Polish folk art tradition of wycinanki, depicts a scene from Louisiana's unparalleled Atchafalaya Basin. An alligator pokes her head out of the water, a rosate spoonbill flies overhead, a gulf fritillary butterfly flutters by, and a great blue heron looks out over the swamp. Throughout the water stand tupelo and cypress trees (and knees), some adorned with Spanish moss. The stickers are perfect for outdoor or indoor use, and can withstand the elements. I am an artist of Polish descent now living in SW Louisiana. I moved to Louisiana after spending 7 months resisting the Dakota Access pipeline on the Standing Rock reservation. By then, public hearings were starting for the Bayou Bridge pipeline, the tail end of DAPL, which was slated to cross south Louisiana. Like so many pipelines before it, it would cross the Atchafalaya Basin, where oil companies are notorious for leaving permanent impact on the wetlands, affecting the diverse flora and fauna of the Basin, as well as the people who live and work in the Basin. Though the pipelines were ultimately built, more and more people are starting to realize our need for change. After all, what is more important than water? The reasons to protect these places and resist these projects are summed up in the words Water Is Life - Mni Wiconi - L'eau Est La Vie. The Atchafalaya Basin is a vast and gorgeous treasure of Louisiana, and in making the papercutting of this scene I was inspired by its beauty. As a wycinanki artist, I love to use traditional methods and styles to express themes from my south Louisiana life. Thanks to my friend Kim who had the idea to add the water protector slogan!