(Charcoal, 24″ x 18″)
This is a charcoal portrayal of my mother knitting on a couch in my home. My mother works terribly hard for her family, hardly ever taking a break and finding peace. When she does take a break, she usually heads over to our couch to quietly knit. This work captures one of those rare moments. Here, in the respite between chores, my mother’s face is freed of concern and consternation. Steady hands work with years of experience, and tired feet find repose. Sunlight streams in from the window, and the world is paused.
A sense of this evanescent peace is what I sought to capture with this work. To convey this, I used simple, minimal strokes, focusing on the gesture of the moment more than technical accuracy. The simple, fleeting nature of the technique resulted in the perfect expression of an equally simple and fleeting moment. Every time I look at this piece, I am transported back to my mother, knitting in the lull.
