March 24, 2008
Mow Work for Mom – Women’s Work is Never Done #3
My third painting in the Woman’s Work is Never Done series of “work portraits” is of my maternal grandmother Doris Elliott Garlock, which was my mom’s Christmas gift for 2007. The painting, from a faded family photo c. 1945, shows my grandmother, mother of seven at the time (eventually eight), taking a break from washing diapers, raising toddlers through teens, preparing meals, and all manner of other “wifely” chores, to cut the grass with a push lawnmower: “Mow Work for Mom.”
“Mow Work for Mom,” Susan K. Donley, 2008. 15×11 inches, colored pencil on paper. Collection of Janice Donley.
View a larger version of this painting and read more about Mom’s experience minding her New Jersey homefront during and after World War II at…
Or check out gifts and gear featuring this image at Cafepress.
Stay tuned for the next installment in the series — another down on the farm — later this week…
Mary: I love your story about serving each other lemonade while cutting the grass! I have a feeling my grandmother never had that luxury, but would have really appreciated it! Thanks for taking the time to comment and for the kind words about the painting itself!
Comment by Sue — April 24, 2008 @ 1:48 pm