A guest post from Elizabeth Katt-Reinders, one of the participants in the Madison Greetings From Motherland group:
“I’ve come to realize that considering yourself an artist is a state of mind. In my humble opinion, it isn’t so much what we create as how we see the world — in colors, metaphors, and textures, rather than taking things at face value. When I heard about the Greetings From Motherland project, I knew immediately that these workshops held the potential for some incredible, creative energy and would provide an opportunity to peel back the layers of motherhood, to poke around the soft underbelly, peer at the crevices and run fingers over the grooves of our experiences.
For the last few months, a group of us mothers have gathered at Happy Bambino on Monday afternoons to make art that reflects our transitions to motherhood. Although I had my first son six and a half years ago (and two more since then), I feel at home in this group of mostly new mothers as we make space for honesty to surface. I enjoy the perspective that time has given me, but I continue to learn from these mothers for whom ‘new motherhood’ is fresh and raw.
These workshops have given us a chance to explore our thoughts and feelings about becoming mothers and to express them visually, through sound, and through the written word. We’ve shared our stories and interviewed mothers outside of the project. We’ve pulled the familiar from the landscape of our lives and thrust it in the open, reframed in new contexts.
It’s been empowering and encouraging to collaborate with other mothers who see the metaphors that inhabit the mundane and to feed off the collective energy of the group. We have created more than we can possibly exhibit at “Welcome to Motherland” on May 23rd, but that’s a good problem to have. It has been a lot of fun pulling pieces together and brainstorming how to showcase our work.
I am so impressed by this group of women I have had the privilege of working with, and with Mindy’s leadership as art director. I really encourage anyone who is even slightly interested to keep track of the project through the website as it evolves and watch for opportunities to participate online.
New motherhood can be isolating, but with support it can be empowering. And there is definitely power in taking ownership of our experiences and reframing them in our own language, rather than in the terms or boundaries drawn up by society.”
Elizabeth writes about her quest to find clarity in the chaos on her personal blog http://www.clarity-chaos.com
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
It sounds like such an incredible project, wish I could be there to cheer for you all on the 23rd! Looking at motherhood through artistic eyes makes so much of a difference in the day to day. It adds an entirely new level.
This project sounds so amazing. So amazing! Congratulations to you all for making it happen.
This is incredible! What a genius idea. It inspires me to think about starting something similar in my own area. Going to peruse this blog to learn more about your community art project.
I also really enjoy and completely agree with Elizabeth’s statement – “considering yourself an artist is a state of mind.” Amen.