Project Minima:

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Mom Trip

There once was a girl named pao
Pao with Mom-made teddy bear,
self-made nightgown and 
pantaloons made from Mom's kitchen curtains

And she thought Mother's Day was a very good day
to celebrate Mom things,
ya know?

So let's get this MOM TRIP on the road!

Here's the picture book I made about me and her...

Just click here and scroll to bottom of page to see the book.
(For a real laugh, view/ hear the video of our road trip at the same site.)

Go ahead, I'll wait for you.  They'll be more after the break.



We are our mother's daughters, there's no denying.
In fact, check out some of the paintings I did of her and myself along the way.

(all were painted from life, i.e., models sitting there, not from photos)

Mom, oil on canvas, 24x24 in., 1976
Self Portrait in Pink, oil on canvas, 24x24 in., 1976
Mom in Red, iridescent acrylic on cardboard, 20x16 in., 1979
Mother Self Portrait, colored pencil on cardboard, 20x16 in., 1981
Mother, egg tempera on panel, 48x24 in., 1983
Beckoning Virgin, egg tempera,
48x24 in., 1983
Reticent Whore, egg tempera,
48x24 in., 1983





















By the way these last few paintings harken to the same issues Jan of Fort Smith Stylista explores in her painting, Madonna / Magdalene, wherein women are slotted into limiting stereotypes.
I can't recall if she painted hers around the same time period as I did mine,
but I wouldn't be surprised.  Second wave feminism was in the air.

So apparently that's the last time I painted Mom, I did myself a few times since.
You can always see more of my artwork at patottoart.com


Anyway Happy Mother's Day to all you Motha's!
I'm linking up at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style
as well as the crowd at Monday Mingle.  See ya there.


26 comments:

  1. I am my mom's daughter indeed! Not only I look like her, I am turning to be her in more ways than I like! ;) You are some talent and it is a joy to see your work here. Happy Mother's day!

    GREETINGS FROM DUBAI
    MRS JACK OF ALL TRADES
    http://mrsjackofalltradesdaily.blogspot.ae/

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    1. And greetings to you too. I know, it catches up with you, ready or not.

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  2. It *can* catch up with us, ready or not -- for me these are not joyful thoughts, as my mother is not a happy person. But I do appreciate these wonderful portraits of you and your mother. SO much talent! Thanks for sharing with Vis Monday.

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    1. Well, we're both "mental health professionals" so you know how it goes...resistance is futile, more or less. I don't think it means you become her, but you sure can't help but be influenced by her one way or another.

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  3. I love the 1983 titles of virgin and whore...a true dichotomy personified!

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    1. And if you notice, their body language is indicating the opposite of their titles...

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    2. oops, I meant to say, their body language complies with their contradictory titles.

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  4. I adore the first two pieces. They're all wonderful, but my personal taste is for abstract and impressions. Thanks for the link to your website. Seeing your work is awesome.

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  5. What talent, I'm blown away by your art, Pao.
    I'm not very much like my Mum was personality-wise but when I look at some old photos the similarity is alarming. x

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    1. And it seems like your clothes style is very similar!

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  6. My mother died in a car crash a long time ago, but I can see her in me and my daughters.
    You are such an admirable artits, Pao.
    I feel honoured to have crossed you path.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXX

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    1. And you honor her with your own self and daughters, dear Sacramento. And here's to the joy of crossing paths!!!!

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  7. Your artistry is never ending and you shine in all mediums! I'm enchanted by your paintings and this is a very special tribute to your Mom. Every piece speaks a thousand words.

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    1. It's like the on-going evolution of my relationship with my mom - in pictures.

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  8. Wow Pat--thank you so much for sharing your fabulous artwork!!

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    1. Just something from the archives for Mom's day

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  9. These are amazing, beautiful. Thank you for showing them to us.

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    1. It's interesting to see that I'm now older than my Mom was when I painted her portraits...

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  10. There are just not enough words or space here to describe what a treat that intimate trip into the Way-Back you gave us. Your paintings of you mom just made miss my own mother so much. Thanks especially for treating me to the two at the end. I catch myself using superlatives so readily in blog comments, now i feel out of the right ones. Thanks so much for sharing so much of such value.

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    1. I remember the 70's, early 80s totally from my art school perspective - what I was doing art-wise. The dawning of women's consciousness...

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  11. Clever you to have made those wonderful pantaloons and nightgown! Those portraits of your mother are so touching and beautiful. Like you, I cherish the portraits I have of my grannies and my mother, thanks to the artists in my family.

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    1. So much has happened since this post. The very next day, she was rushed to the hospital and now she's in ICU in another state!

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  12. I hope she'll be okay. My parents are far away, and it makes it so hard to help them when they need it. I love all these paintings. I wish I had archives like that of creative work I've done. My mom and I have always been polar opposites in many ways, which meant there were many years of little communication. I missed a lot of her life, and now she can't remember much of it to fill me in. But at 90, at least she's still living and I can give her hugs and tell her I love her.

    I'll be thinking of you and yours.

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    1. Aww, thanks Jean. I just called and was told she's in surgery now for a fractured hip. Hopefully all will go as well as can be. Dad died 45 years ago. It all brings up so many feelings/ memories.

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  13. I'm saving you to explore more. That was not meant in a creepy way, more like I wish someone would lock me in The Met for the night way...

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