The 'Mother' series is a play off of Mother Nature and features women who have stayed true to their calling, while juggling parenthood. Working as a full-time creative person is a challenge, throw a child (or two or three) into the mix and it really takes things to the next level. The sacrifice of self that comes with parenting alongside the 'selfishness' of being an artist is not an easy task to juggle.
Nearly 3 million women have left the workforce due to the pandemic and childcare. The truth is it doesn't matter how progressive your relationship is, the majority of the responsibility of raising a child falls upon the woman. And when this is paired with a job, such as being an artist, it makes it extremely hard not to give up.
For years men have flourished in creative fields whether thy have children or not. While men are praised for doing simple tasks with their children, women are torn to pieces. Mothers are in constant judgment, surprisingly even from other women. Personally, I have ridiculed for working (as an artist), however, my husband works 12-14 hour shifts, 5-6 days a week, and parenting is never mentioned to him.
This is why I create portraits of creative women. Women that didn't give up on their dreams and creativity, woman that stay up until 3am to paint and still get up and 7am to make their kid breakfast. The tired, driven, wonderful women that are raising children in creative, loving homes. The women who strap their kid to their chest and paint a mural or bring them to the studio to create alongside them. Lets celebrate the women who are breaking boundaries, being true to the driving force inside them, and taking space in a place that is a thousand times easier for men.
