In lots of advice as artists you find out as you become an artist the ways and whys of how to get ones work seen and shown, and recognised. What I am sure of is that my work is messy, life is messy, the detail as humans is emotionally messy, well, mine is anyway.
Aesthetica magazine launched their arts competition and I have entered A Breast – it is a series of three works relating to my mother’s breast cancer experience and how it affected and affects me still. We are intrinsically linked to the flesh of our mothers. As a woman I am similar to my mother in some ways, now we are not even, she has had a breast taken off her. The messy lumps taken away. My Mum thankfully is okay, it is always on my mind, I love my Mum.
Even though I was the last to know due to my sister putting it on Facebook (FaceAche!!) my Mum had to tell me before I saw it on there. It is vital that the person with cancer has the power, the only power to choose when to tell people themselves. My sis took that away from my Mum. And I lost friends as they found out via my Sister’s feed that I had not told them something so big and emotionally challenging, hurt that I had not told them before it became public knowledge all I can say is my Mum chose not to tell me straight away, because she was being a brilliant Mum by letting me finish my dissertation so that I could easily complete that without worrying of her, such a selfless act, what an incredible woman. These works are my tribute to her dignity and strength and power, and my gratitude. She was the one to tell me, but for the Grace of God.
