Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Knot (the unfinished painting)


I try to be positive in my art - to uplift, praise, glorify, encourage, define, idealize and unite. I also can't help but be honest and speak from my heart. Sometimes these two concepts will not coexist. This piece is very expressive about how I sometimes feel about my role as mother/homemaker. I have talked a lot about bees and their dichotomy: they make honey and they sting. Motherhood is like that. I hesitate to put my frustrations and inadequacies out there, I don't want to bring anyone down. So, I kind of want cop-out with, "read into this what you will," and leave it at that. I think the image is obvious enough and we all feel it at times - that our apron strings are tied in a knot. Maybe we should talk about it, I don't know.

7 comments:

Craig Smith said...

Emily - You amaze me. Your artwork is so beautiful. The more I look at it the more I feel like it is speaking exactly what I feel (did that make sense?) Today the role of mom was a hard one for me and then I sit down at the computer and see this painting and now all I can do is smile despite it. Thank you.

Tammy

Cassandra Barney said...

I'm a little older than you and I still go around and around about that. I think what Tammy just said is your answer, she connected with your artwork. I really believe that if you are sincere, people will connect.
Keep on keep'n on sister.
XOX Hun

ducklips said...

I think my apron strings get tied in a knot on a daily basis.
It's ok to let your frustrations out. We all have them and without them we would never recognize the sweetness of our kids smiles, or how great it is when a room gets cleaned without our knowledge.
We all want the ideal, but in actuality we wouldn't even know what that was without the knots.
Your work is beautiful even when you are showing frustrations.

BrittanyLane said...

Your painting truly speaks for itself. (And it's beautiful btw. Love your choices of colors.) There is something refreshing about the expression of an honest struggle. I don't know of a single mother that can't relate...

Julie said...

(Huh. That's interesting. I had lots and lots of comments that I was going to make about motherhood but now that I am attempting to write them out, I find my inner editor muting me.)

I'm pleased to see your finished painting, though. It's lovely.

Lindsey said...

How long does it take you to whip this beauties up? Do you paint in your sleep? I just don't understand how you can be a mother, wifey, and artist. Do you sleep? I love your creativity and the way you relate them to day to day life.

jennie said...

I swear my apron came with the knots in it! Sometimes I feel, however, that one by one, I'm undoing them. It doesn't mean that another doesn't creep in, kindof like when you are untangling a necklace chain or christmas lights. I also feel like everyone else around me doesn't have any knots in theirs... but I know it's not really true. I think I should be happy that my apron has knots and is still around my waist, verses falling down or not being able to be tied at all. HMM... is that deep enough for you?