Mother and Child, 2018

I tousled with death like a lover in the dark. I stared into his eyes as they promised an end to pain and struggle. I said, “No. I will fight. I will feel. I will live.” That was almost 11 years ago.

Now, I see death as an old friend and my thoughts turn to aging. My aging, my daughter’s, my mother’s. A mirror to look inside and glimpse aspects of the past or the future. To consider the wholeness of aging, the confidence and self-awareness along with the deterioration and degradation.

Mother and Child is a 20″ x 16″ digital collage printed on Somerset with charcoal, conté crayon, pastel, and colored pencil. I finished it last weekend drawing with my daughter. We talked and drew, and I thought of how proud I am of the person she has become. We talked about our relationship and my relationship with my mother. We listened to music and enjoyed the quiet of just spending time and being.