FAMILY, STANDING STRONG

I have not before used painting to process or express my emotions. But this week has been a challenge, being so far away from my college senior who is having to move out of her room and leave the campus, not to return for the rest of the spring. The end of her college experience, including her rowing, wrenched from her and her classmates in only a matter of days. I have felt heartbroken, frustrated, angry, alone and... hopeful. The transition of her emotions from the day of the announcement to today has been remarkable. The Class of 2020 just had an unofficial graduation and celebrated time-honored traditions. Plans were made for finishing up theses and finding safe lodging since they won't be returning home yet. I wanted to create a piece that showed our family, standing united for my daughter. We are also represented as monoliths, tall and strong individually, growing stronger for experiences like this. Even though we could not be together for her graduation, we are with her as her family. And in the lore of Wellesley Blue Crew, BLUE spelled backwards is EULB which means family. She was with both of her families today. 💙