My First Brush 2024 – Soft Sculpture – Created for traveling exhibit “All About Mother.”

When I was a child, my mother was a very busy woman. We were 9 siblings, and she still found the time to teach me everything! I learned to sew, cook, bake, read music, play piano, create crafts… so many things so that I would be prepared to live in this world on my own. Out of my 8 brothers and sisters, I was always glued to her. Even if she made me work hard, she always supported my creative passion. She bought me my first canvasses, my first oils, my first brushes. Her passion for art was immense, but with 9 children, it was hard for her to pursue her dreams of being an artist. I believe she wanted to pass that passion along to me and my siblings. While almost all of them became musicians, I became a visual artist.

My most precious memories of my mother are from my childhood. But when I grew older, our relationship became distant. While I love her profoundly, there were disagreements that even today I find irreconcilable. My soft sculpture is a time capsule as well as a reflection of the inspiration and passion my mother helped me develop. I will always be grateful to her for being a mentor and close friend for a portion of my life that I remember so fondly. My reflection on our relationship is part of why I believe childhood is the most important time for any human being. I, without a doubt, owe parts of who I am to her.