What is art for? A Reflection
This self-portrait marks my first exploration of identity through painting. In creating it, I realized that I define myself foremost as a mother, and that my children are my ultimate masterpieces. The title, “Je suis chanceux car ma mère est une artiste” is borrowed from a school project my son Armen brought home. A printed paper shamrock with the prompt “Je suis chanceux…” to which he added “Car ma mère est une artiste”. Revealing the childhood perceptions that art is something to be grateful for. This also connects my thoughts and ideas of how motherhood and art are interwoven. I aim to emphasize that all mothers are fundamentally artists through the act of creation. Questioning a woman’s ability to be both mother and artist felt nonsensical, and I endeavour to challenge this notion.
In the work, I am absorbed in painting, unaware of being observed, while my children meet the viewer's gaze. Their presence, embracing me, asserts that they are not interruptions but integral to my creative practice. The painting within this piece, Becoming Mother, depicts the moment I became a mother, and is the second painting I hoped to finish for this class. The piece depicts waiting for my daughter Grace to arrive, while my sister braids my hair. The braids serve to symbolize the interweaving of lives, a symbolic thread linking lives and generations, an intimate ritual of care and continuity. This work reflects a personal emergence: me stepping into the light, embracing my identity as both mother and artist, and overcoming the self-doubt and reticence that once constrained me.
Time constraints meant the paintings remained in progress, with one progressing faster than the other. However, this became part of the learning experience. I realize art is not finite; it is made to be lived and experienced, both by the artist and the viewer. Even my children, whom I consider my greatest masterpieces, did not arrive precisely on time. Grace was late, Armen early, underscoring the unpredictable nature of life and creation. The work has begun, and beginning is itself an achievement. This class became my launch: a chance taken, a first step, and a commitment to continue creating.
At the beginning of this class, I contemplated the question what is art for? While I understood that there could not be one single answer to this question. Every individual will have their own resolution, and yet I learned that even this declaration can transform over time. In my initial reflection for this course, I state, “fundamentally about connection, particularly connection to my children.” This led me toward the paintings I began to create, and yet as I write these words, my answer has evolved. What is art for? Well… in this moment, art, for me, is for the discovery of self.
I will end with a quote by Homer (and the title of one of my earlier paintings), “I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” Through this process, I have discovered the profound and vital connection between making and academic work. I learned that I cannot neglect my artistic practice in favour of research and academia. I know now that my identity breathes through my experiences of motherhood and artistry. Through this course, I have come to realize that as long as I can come back to my practice, with kindness and sincerity in my heart, I will find myself.
This work reflects a personal emergence: me stepping into the light, embracing my identity as both mother and artist, and overcoming the self-doubt and reticence that once constrained me.
The title, “Je suis chanceux car ma mère est une artiste” is borrowed from a school project my son Armen brought home.
Trusting the process, Committing the time.
