Big Sky Borealis
Rain S. Gaddis
Winston-Salem, NC
12"h x 12"w

 

Artist statement: There is one voice that we hear above all others for all of our days. It is the voice of comfort, sound advice, no nonsense and discipline. It belongs to an individual who will risk more, sacrifice more and give more to the overall individuals we each become; and do it as second nature, often without thanks through incredibly difficult circumstances and amazingly bad odds. And if we search our memories we will find this voice attached to every single formative memory we have, from holidays to milestones. It is the voice of our mothers.

While representative of my own personal desires for the world I would create for my children, this piece is symbolic of maternal efforts everywhere. The desire to create home, security, memories and a sense of something to always return to that is sacredly unchanged in a world of high-speed transition is something found in mothers of all cultures, creeds, and generations. For mothers the world over through time out of mind, this piece is visual thanks: their voices mattered and carry a legacy through the ages.