For Mom

Walking into my childhood home in Connecticut, where I visited this past week, I was overcome by a feeling of comfort and serenity. My Mom's decorative style manages to transform the most unruly of spaces into cozy retreats for the mind, body, and soul (especially those souls with a more artistic inclination).

My Mom is currently dealing with her 5th bout of breast cancer, and I want to write about how she has inspired me over the years. My Mom is the epitome of an artist. She has delved into every medium and conquered them all. Like many artists she flits from medium to medium, never quite satisfied with herself unless she is both creatively and intellectually challenged by a medium.

Her mind seems to be exploding with ideas - you look in any notebook around the house and you will find sketches, writing, and plans for some new project. Some people like to label this type of mindset "hypomania" - I would like to reframe it as artistic energy. The challenge for my Mom is focusing this energy through sustained engagement, as well as overcoming a very harsh inner critic. My Mom has never shown her work, because she has always done it for herself. She is a woman that must create to thrive, no matter what.

However, recently she has decided to pursue a more financially motivated route with her art. And you know what? I'm damn proud of her for doing so. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there, especially in a marketplace saturated by people and products. This will also demand her sustained engagement with a medium over long periods of time (which also demands courage for a wildly fiery mind like my Mother's). I will not write about what she is going to make, but let's just say that I am in love with them. I plan to be among the first to purchase a few :) She will be delving back into her passion for fiberarts (which she studied at the University of Oslo in Norway), in combination with a newfound love of metal-based sculpture. So here's to you Mom - know that your creativity, energy, curiosity, passion, and undying courage are a continual source of inspiration and motivation. You are in my thoughts and prayers.