Mother's Night (the Nativity)
14" diameter
acrylic on wood
2025
This painting was created on December 20th, the day before Yule, and serves as a tribute to the feminine, motherhood, and the ancestral lineage that shapes us. It is an offering of gratitude to the female spirits and guardians of the family line, those who have nurtured and protected us across generations. The piece was originally intended to depict a mother nursing her child in a nest, a symbol of the protective and life-giving energy of motherhood. However, as I worked, I quickly realized that I had unintentionally created an image reminiscent of the nativity, with Mother Mary nursing the baby Jesus.
This unexpected connection deepened the meaning of the piece, bringing forward themes of sacred motherhood and divine nourishment. It invites the viewer to reflect on the profound bond between mother and child, a bond that transcends time and connects us to our roots. The image speaks to the nurturing energy that cradles us from birth to death, reminding us of the eternal presence of the mother figure—both earthly and spiritual—holding us through every stage of life. The painting is an expression of gratitude for the life-giving, protective force of maternal love, and a reminder of the strength and wisdom that flows through the female line of our families.