The Last of the Milk
'The Last of the Milk' began as a response to the word 'imagine'. One nap time, I changed the water in a vase of roses. One fell apart in my hands and the thought 'what if I was this rose?" crossed my mind. The first gallery seen below is the creative result of following that thought, an exploration of the last days of breastfeeding which examines the tension between the grief of leaving the baby days behind and the excitement of facing the next chapter of motherhood.
"...Oh to fit grief on a 4"x6"..."
Grief in motherhood
How one image sparked a postcard project
Sharing this image and the story behind it online resulted in lots of messages from women about the personal grief they hold in motherhood. I found solace in these private thoughts, and started thinking about how to create a space for women to share their stories in an anonymous and safe way. Part inspired by a friend's art postal club, I set about creating post packs to send out, each containing a small fine art print of this image, a blank 'Last of the Milk' postcard, a stamped addressed envelope and a handwritten letter from me, inviting the reader to respond to the image with their own stories of motherhood grief.
The postcards I have received have been deeply moving, not all from mothers or even those who want children, and from women across a wide age range and at differing stages of motherhood. Whilst some themes are emerging - loss of identity, questioning choices - each response is deeply personal and unique. The anonymity of the postcards provides people with a safe space to express feelings that they may not have spoken aloud before. What is becoming clear is that we all hold some grief, mother or not, and sharing our experiences can be cathartic and allow us to feel less alone.
"...How can I make sure they are thriving if I am only surviving?..."
Join the project
You are welcome to share your story
To participate in this project, simply fill out this form. It is completely free of charge to take part. You will be sent a letter from me about the project, a fine art print to keep, a postcard to write your response and a stamped addressed envelope to post your response back to me.
This project is completely anonymous - I will not know who the response if from unless you add your name or another note. You do not have to be a mother to take part and there is no age limit.