Melissa McGill is an artist, activist and water storyteller. Her Art of the Game soccer ball sculpture is wrapped in her photograph of the Hudson River.

She is known for collaborative, ambitious site specific public art projects, creative interventions and a vibrant studio practice. Her projects are site-specific, immersive experiences that explore nuanced conversations between land, water, sustainable traditions, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. At the heart of her work is a focus on community, meaningful shared experiences and lasting positive impact. Spanning a variety of media including performance, photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, sound, light, video and immersive installation, McGill has  presented both independent projects and solo exhibitions nationally and internationally since 1991. She lives in Lenapehoking (Beacon, New York).

Her most recent major projects include Marea in Venice, Italy in 2026 endorsed by UNESCO and the Municipality of Venice on April 30-May 10, 2026 coinciding with the Venice Biennale and A Lake Story commissioned by The Bentway, Toronto, Canada on September 27-28, 2025.

These Waters creates a stunning conversation between light, reflection, transparency, shadow and ephemerality. Intricate and glittering, These Waters aims to inspire conversation about the preciousness of water–our lifeforce. Through the language of water, viewers are reminded of being one with the natural world, not separate from it.

These Waters has a cosmic dimension, connecting to the way waves ripple with starlight in the sun connecting heaven and earth.