"You might have a mom, she might be the bomb, but ain't nobody got a mom like mine." - "Mom" by Meghan Trainor

Mom's rock.

May 12, 2024

See

Today’s Wonder is all about MOTHERS! The paintings featuring mothers are all self-portraits from mom artists who kept their art a priority while raising their families.

Barbara Hepworth, Epidauros II 1961

“My studio was a jumble of children, rocks, sculptures, trees, importunate flowers, and washing.”-Barbara Hepworth

She often wrote about how being a mother and an artist was never a conflicting process, and that having a family actually improved the quality of her sculptures. (Sartle)

Carrie Mae Weems, Untitled (Woman and daughter with makeup) from Kitchen Table Series, 1990

"It changes your perspective on everything because you want the world to be a better place for them. Everything is filtered through a new lens of what that will mean for your child." - Chantelle Komene - mother and Communications Manager.

Elizabeth Catlett, Danys y Liethis, 2005 Gallery Aferro

"When you’re pre-children and you think you’re tired, you're not tired, you’ve never even come close to knowing what feeling tired is like! Anxiety levels also rise with having the responsibility of these little people. Love. The love for your child/children is next level, indescribable." - Kirsten McEwan - mother and farmer.

Laxmi Hussain studio installation

Laxmi Hussein, installation view of works in artist’s studio. Courtesy of the artist.

London-based artist Laxmi Hussain has turned the perceived ‘mother as artist’ limitation on its head. A mother of three herself, Hussain is convinced she wouldn’t be an artist were it not for motherhood: “Nothing I’ve ever come across is as challenging as being a parent, so there is nothing else that I need to be afraid of doing,” she said. (artsy)

Élisabeth Louise Vigée-Le Brun, Self-Portrait with her Daughter, Julie, 1786

Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun had one child, Jeanne Julie Louise, who she nicknamed “Brunette.” Vigee Le Brun’s first self-portrait of her and Julie caused a scandal when it was exhibited simply because she was depicted smiling open-mouthed -- how dare she be visibly happy with her child?!

Pierre Bonnard, Grandmother with a Child

In the foraging Hadza society in Northern Tanzania, it turns out, grandmothers were more important to child survival than fathers. Mom and grandma were keeping the kids fed. Not Man the Hunter. This finding led Kristen Hawkes, an anthropologist at the University of Utah, to completely re-evaluate what she thought she knew about human evolution. Grandmothers were crucial in this environment to childhood survival. So maybe it wasn't an accident that humans are the only great ape species in which women live so long past reproductive age. If having a helpful grandmother increased a kid's chances of survival, natural selection may well have started selecting for older and older women. (This endowment would have passed also to human men.) Listen to the full story on NPR.

Say

If you are a parent, what things were you forced to set aside or prioritize keeping when your children were small?
Which of the art images above do you relate to most, and why?

Mine would have to be the Alice Neele painting. I had my first child at 32 and was frazzled and in love. I stunk at remembering everything. “He won’t need an extra set of clothes, wipes, band aides…(continue listing baby essentials here), will he?” Umm, sure, Shannon. It was the most tiring and inept experience I have been through. But, I loved him and my new little family with all the firsts! It all worked out, and I (along with my husband and my village of family and friends) have raised two beautiful men who are smart, curious, kind and empathetic. They are the greatest joy of my life.

Do

Think about what you have done for your children or that your mom has done for you. Write a thank-you note or journal entry with specific examples. Share it if you like.

"Time is just bizarre after kids. Everything is both too fast and too slow. And you appreciate how much freedom and time you actually USED to have. Why didn't I take up more hobbies, or learn more things?" - Caroline Carpenter, mother and Playcentre President.

Listen to The Longest Shortest Time, a poignant and funny parenting podcast that helped me get through when my kiddos were small.
Listen to Artistmother podcast to dip into a group of creative and talented mom artists.

Join Wonder Mob, a community of ‘wonderers’ like you! MN Readers, sign up for kids summer camps and classes! Please share your reflections with me by replying to this post, or post and tag my Wonder Wander Facebook or Instagram pages!