When my mother was a little girl, she’d stand by the side of US-23, the highway that ran by the humble family farm in northern Michigan, and wonder about the people in the cars driving by. Were they headed somewhere exciting? What kind of lives did they lead? And where might she go some day…?
I made this triptych in honor of – and for – my mother, whose sense of adventure and optimistic, anything-is-possible outlook on life has been a powerful influence on me and many other people whose lives she’s touched.
I shamelessly incorporated some look-on-the-bright-side clichés, a la the ship coming in, the bowl of cherries, and the just-arrived piece of mail that could contain anything. That adorable little girl in the pigtails – that’s my mom. And then there’s the image I was thrilled to find of a young woman standing at the side of a highway, suitcase at the ready, waiting for…who knows? But you know something’s going to happen, she’s clearly on her way somewhere, and the air practically crackles with both anticipation and certitude. Meandering across the top of the piece is a phrase my brothers and I have heard my mother say any time it would seem the deck was stacked against us: “You just never know.”
Now wouldn’t any mother’s heart just explode with pride and gratitude to receive such a lovely tribute? Thank you, my Zesty Artista! I am blessed.
Thank you! Until such time as I can afford my third of the Jaguar XKE we kids rashly promised you when tots, this will have to do.