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I realised that after I had posted that last piece that I hadn't shown you what I was actually working on! 
Over this year I have been thinking about producing a piece based around motherhood. I can't really explain why but I am quite a reflective person and I have really started to enjoy making piece of art that explores something in my life. Being at home with 3 children tends to make my life quite centred around children. When I had my eldest (He is 9 now) I felt completely unprepared to be a mother. I think a lot of people feel like that hence the vast amount of child care books! I had very little confidence that what I was doing was right. It took a while for motherly instinct to kick in and above everything it was the hardest job I have ever done. I had expected it to feel a lot more natural. In the first few months I felt absolutely bombarded with advice. I was seeking advice but had such a diversity of advice that I really did not know what to do.
Of course it got better and I trusted myself more. After all I did go on to have 2 more! After the birth of my second child I joined a breastfeeding support group. It was not to get support but I just enjoyed the gentle company of the peole who attended it. It is led by a fantastic lady who is a great breastfeeding counsellor. Anyway in this group we discussed a lot of different ways to raise children but it was not a judgemental group. It helped me to understand more about what sort of mother I wanted to be and feeling comfortable with that. This is all starting to get a bit long and deep so to cut the story short I wanted to make a piece that reflected how I felt in the early days of motherhood. I used a babies nightdress that I picked up ages ago. It was one of those things that I am not quite sure why I have it but it spoke to me.
One of the better piece of advice that was given to me was to buy similar nightgowns for the baby for the first few weeks after they are born as the are easier to use that the babygros. It felt right to use it. I am now in the proess of embroidering lots of advice and sayings all over it. 
Often contradictory, down the the insane such as " tickle a babies foot and you will make them stutter"!
Over this year I have been thinking about producing a piece based around motherhood. I can't really explain why but I am quite a reflective person and I have really started to enjoy making piece of art that explores something in my life. Being at home with 3 children tends to make my life quite centred around children. When I had my eldest (He is 9 now) I felt completely unprepared to be a mother. I think a lot of people feel like that hence the vast amount of child care books! I had very little confidence that what I was doing was right. It took a while for motherly instinct to kick in and above everything it was the hardest job I have ever done. I had expected it to feel a lot more natural. In the first few months I felt absolutely bombarded with advice. I was seeking advice but had such a diversity of advice that I really did not know what to do. Of course it got better and I trusted myself more. After all I did go on to have 2 more! After the birth of my second child I joined a breastfeeding support group. It was not to get support but I just enjoyed the gentle company of the peole who attended it. It is led by a fantastic lady who is a great breastfeeding counsellor. Anyway in this group we discussed a lot of different ways to raise children but it was not a judgemental group. It helped me to understand more about what sort of mother I wanted to be and feeling comfortable with that. This is all starting to get a bit long and deep so to cut the story short I wanted to make a piece that reflected how I felt in the early days of motherhood. I used a babies nightdress that I picked up ages ago. It was one of those things that I am not quite sure why I have it but it spoke to me. One of the better piece of advice that was given to me was to buy similar nightgowns for the baby for the first few weeks after they are born as the are easier to use that the babygros. It felt right to use it. I am now in the proess of embroidering lots of advice and sayings all over it. Often contradictory, down the the insane such as " tickle a babies foot and you will make them stutter"!This second piece is a much smaller piece is being embroidered with the advice of Kahil Gibran who is a poet that my mum introduced me to. This piece will be framed.
I am part of a small local art group and they are having an exhibition in September to tie in with an arts festival so I am hoping that these will be selected for that.
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3 comments:
Nice idea! Is there any swearing on there at all?! There would be if it were mine. You're right, it is the hardest job in the world. I often feel I have a few demons I'd like to exorcise when it comes to motherhood, and of course all the things I'm proud of too, but had never thought of making something to reflect them...might give it some thought!
Catherine
www.bonneyatthemill.blogspot.com
Its amazing how much information and advice pregnant and new mothers are given. The best advise I had was not to take any notice, as so much contradicts.
good luck with that. I think your pieces are lovely and as a mother of three (boys...) I got lots of advice and have thrown lots of it out of out of the window too.
love the nightgown one.
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