Mother, Oh Mother

[truarts]

8" x 10" graphite study
6b pencil and eraser

The thought behind this study is to take a word that has had little meaning or purpose in my life and showcase its obscurity. In further studies I will start defacing the word beyond recognition in order to communicate the different levels of obscurity. I like the direction I am heading but further investigation is required. The goal is to graduate to a larger size of either 18" x 24" or 20" x 30".

Background as to why, "Mother", largely holds no weight in my life.
-given up to the state as ward by my biological mother at the age of 6.
-adopted by a couple at the age of 8 or 9 but less than a year later relinquished back to the state a ward along with my sister.
-At 18 my sister, during a meeting with my biological mother, was told that we were not her kids and that she never had any children.
-I remained in the system until I aged out at 18.

Any thoughts or suggestions.

[spinyone]

didn't read your blurb but immediately thought how much hate and pain there is associated with the word for you... then read your blurb and understand why.

[davefriend]

I like the graphic presentation and line work. Totally did not understand your attitude about mother having "little meaning or purpose" in your life until I read your explanation.

It is amazing how living on a different planet the lives of individuals can be. I was fortunate to have a mother who loved me and whom I respected. but it is so heartbreaking to read your younger life experience and how hard that 'mother' word is for you.

Saying that I admire your bravery to express such a depth of pain in your art. It comes through but is amplified by your statement. Still, that the word was not written in black and then covered by more black to obliterate the word from off the paper is almost surprising to me but it makes me think that you see the need for mother in the life of children (what ever their age) and so you left enough to be recognized but in such a way as to make it like an anonymous graffiti bomber's public message on a wall somewhere.

Striking!

[truarts]

@davefriend, You are right I do see the need for a child or children to have a mother in their life as well as their father. I wish we could go back to the days when family was the first and foremost important thing in life.

I create these works not to gain sympathy but to start a dialogue and remind people of such events toward children so that we as a society can do better by them.

[Sean T.]

That works, especially knowing the story behind it. But even without the story, the emotion comes through loud and clear.

[AlexB]

You did a great job of making this still very visually interesting while using very simple text. That's something that to me is always really hard to accomplish. Also nice choice in the way you wrote it having the line kind of cross it out as well as complete the letters. I hope you post the rest of the series I'm interested to see them.

[DakotaPaint]

Art is great catharsis, and experience can lead to some amazing art.
Teresa

[lumiere33]

this is a very original and very nice painting. We can feel the sadness, not hatred.
Sometimes it's better to have no parent at all than very bad parents.
somebody says something like : childhood sews a whole life.
one can never forget but we can overcome. so keep going on with your painting and good luck

[DakotaPaint]

You've said it so well, Lumiere33.

[Katie Black]

Hi, Yes this touched me also....I think you nailed it as well with this piece...people that have had a wonderfull childhood don't always realise how fortunate they have been, you never really get over it but learn to live with it I think.
Anyway I am sending you this........just to make you smile for today.

[~JON]

A very evocative piece as evidenced by the responses.

[birdlover]

I like it.

[truarts]

18" x 24" sketch.
Dark charcoal.

I have begun to push the drawing in the direction I wish to go. The next day as I was sitting and thumbing through a Modern Art book that I have on loan from the local library I stumbled across Jackson Pollock's, "The Deep". I was amazed at what he had done with his painting and the similarities it held with my sketch in terms of the push and pull of the light/dark and background/foreground.

Any thoughts?

Mine:

Jacksons: