Remote Artist Residency with Rachael Grad: This August at MoM

Rachael Grad is a mom of three and former lawyer who has studied and worked in the US, France, Italy, Hong Kong, and Toronto. Grad left practicing law to study painting full-time at the New York Studio School and New York University (NYU) before transferring to OCAD University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Trained as an observational painter, Grad has focused on colourful painting that blurs the distinction between abstract, figurative, and representational styles.

Recently her art practice has expanded to incorporate digital painting and collage to further recreate her observational drawing and painting. Grad combines her experience as a mother, former lawyer, and traveler into her artwork, creating art that reflects parenting moments. Her current art series include “Motherhood Hit Me Like A Train” works on paper that use trains as paintbrushes and “Mommy Mayhem” digital collages and abstract expressionist paintings.

Grad’s artwork has been shown in solo and group shows in Washington, DC, New York City, Venice, Italy, and the Toronto area. She holds degrees from Brandeis University, Duke University School of Law, and Sciences Po in Paris, France. She earned a BFA with Distinction in Painting and Drawing from OCAD University in May 2022 as the Governor General Academic Medal and Mrs. W.O. Forsyth winner. This fall Grad will start a Master’s in Fine Arts program at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Mayhem Bunny
Elephant and Doll

Artist Statement

Motherhood is mayhem. When I became a parent, carving out time and space to create (not just people but artwork) became essential.

My current art practice is driven by an obsessive-compulsive need to document my three kids and their perpetually changing debris (meaning their messes of toys, books, clothing, and crafts). Daily household and art routines, rituals, and schedules reflect my attempt to reign in the chaos of parenting. Numbers, habits, and repetition are crucial to my sanity and survival.

There are 52 weekends in each year when my children’s school, daycare, or summer camp are closed for 65 agonizing hours in a row. To symbolize the slow passing of parenting time, I created 52 digital collages each containing 65 artworks layered together in photoshop. The artwork layers include my postcard drawings, abstract colour paintings, and paint mark experiments with toys.

Recent Mommy Mayhem series paintings are loosely based on these collages and blur the distinction between representation and abstraction. Gestural paint marks use the bright colours found in toys and messes.

In my Motherhood Hit Me Like a Train series, rolling a toy train across my artwork as a not-so subtle metaphor for being a mother artist. Toys have overtaken my home and my artwork, and they are always in mind and in my way. For my abstract watercolour on paper artworks, I reverse the ubiquitous toy train and turn it into a paintbrush.

Repetitive marks starting from observation are a way of building up unclear layers to form abstraction. Loosely based on the digital collages, I paint colourful abstract portraits of stuffed animals and toys that serve as transitional comfort objects for children as they grow and learn independence from parents.

My painting subjects reflect moments of motherhood, and my painting technique is a reference to, and mocking of, art history movements such as the machismo of the Abstract Expressionist painters. I am conceiving a visual language informed by abstract expressionism, playful mark making, and the contradiction between my dream of control and order versus my reality of constant pandemonium and mess at home. Routines, patterns, and symbolic numbers are expression in my art.

I research contemporary parent artists and their artwork including Mary Kelly (Post-Partum Document. 1973-79), Monica Bock (Maternal Exposure (or, don’t forget the lunches), 1999-2000), and Paul Campbell (Koosh Series and Remote Control Series). When painting, I think of Denyse Thomasos’ powerful gestural marks, Susanna Heller’s experimental studio practice, and Amy Silliman’s abstraction.

Museum of Motherhood Artist Residency Project

During her MOM Residency, Rachael will curate an online art exhibition of artwork made by artist mothers who manage to create artwork and keep up their studio practice while parenting. The show will include weekly blog posts interviewing participating artists to explore their work and parent experiences. During the period of her artist residency at MOM, Rachael will attempt to create a drawing or painting each day related to her “Mommy Mayhem” or “Motherhood Hit Me Like a Train” series.

You can view more of Rachael’s artwork at RachaelGradArt.com

If you are interested in connecting with Rachael, you can find her on social media @RachaelGradArt

Letter from the Founder- Joy Report and Welcome Rithik

WELCOME RITHIK:

Welcome to the MoM Internship program, Rithik Pramod. Rithik (pictured above in the banner working on one of his research projects) is an archaeology student who will be creating an online exhibit of fertility goddesses of ancient India. He is currently pursuing Master’s degree in Archaeology and Ancient History from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, where he completed his undergraduate degree as well. Rithik has a keen interest in Ancient Cultures, Ancient History, Heritage Mapping, Documentation of Neglected Sites, Public Archaeology,History of Cuisines and so on. He is associated with various esteemed Organizations like ICOMOS India, Asiatic Society For Social Science Research, Puratattvasamvardhan NGO, Europa Nostra and European Students Association for Cultural Heritage. He has written and presented papers on Intangible Heritage , Architecture, Ancient Water Heritage at both national and international level.

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER- JOY REPORT:

It has been a busy summer! I was so pleased to meet with the New York MoM Academic Board. These gals have been part of the museum project for over a dozen years. Thank you Laura Tropp, Aurelie Athan, and Roksana Badruddoja. I <3 you so much! (pictured left with Martha Joy Rose, Founder).

MoM has launched MEMBERSHIPS: Finally! We are so pleased to announce this new addition to our museum initiative. Now we can better build together. Please consider signing up for a membership and help us grow, grow, grow. Pick the annual membership that’s right for you by clicking here.

This summer we welcomed Artist in Residence, Jessica Caldas, and our current Artist in Residence is Tara Blackwell. Also joining us in August are remote Residency artist Rachael Grad who will be creating an online art exhibit. More to come.

Our summer interns have been working hard. They are: Emma Andrews, Sarah Akomoh, Teddy Friedline, and Mary Noah. A hearty welcome to each! They are working on a variety of initiatives including grant writing, teaching tools, journal publication, and social media. Welcome too, Rithik Pramod, mentioned above.

Since I last wrote, we have completed our Florida Vendor License, our W9 application, our Candid (Guidestar profile), our DUNS and our SAM applications.

So, what’s the action item here? Big goals here are keeping you updated, inviting you to become a member at MoM, letting you witness the progress for yourselves, and bringing team members together in the spirit of MoM. Also, we have launched our Ally program. Please sign our letter here to state your support of MoM’s initiatives locally in St. Pete. We will be using these signatures to demonstrate to our community the need, importance, and significance of a museum devoted to M/others and those exploring reproductive identity. SIGN OUR LETTER.

In that spirit, we are now seeking a new Internship Director who might manage our growing body of intern applicants and projects. Please help put the word out about this volunteer position on our great team. The position requires approval of interns, assisting in assessing internships goals and objectives, and then weekly zoom meetings with each intern. It requires approximately 6 volunteer hours per week. 

*IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO YOU THINK MIGHT LIKE TO JOIN US: one of our boards, our new MEMBERSHIP community, pt staff, or MOM development, PLEASE DO SEND THEM OUR WAY! They can also fill out this form online or write: INFO@MOMmuseum.org

MoM Welcomes Guest Artist Tara Blackwell

We are excited to announce our newest Guest Artist, Tara Blackwell. Tara is a mixed media pop artist leveraging the tension between fun and social commentary in her artwork.

Continue reading to find out more about Tara and her journey.

I am a mixed media pop artist living and working in Connecticut. In my work, I play with bold colors, layers, and texture, often incorporating nostalgic pop culture to explore contemporary social issues. At a glance, my paintings depict a childlike innocence, but there is usually underlying social commentary. While I have fun exploring imagery from my childhood, at the same time, I am delving into insecurities that go way back to being an awkward girl in middle school – that “picked last in gym class” feeling. My “Saturday Morning” series is all about resiliency and perseverance. Remember digging in the cereal box as a kid to find that prize? These little characters are symbolically shown in positions of independence, strength, and success. The process of creating this work has personally helped me to conjure up my own inner strength and to envision my “prize” within my reach.

In the Summer of 2020, like many of us, my daughter (Lila) and I spent a lot of time together indoors due to the pandemic. Lila was 12 and in her first year of middle school at a new school and navigating the typical challenges that I remember all too well from that age. But the isolation and fear of getting sick was an unexpected turn. Then—we saw the horrific murder of George Floyd; Another brutal killing (at the hands of the police) of a human being who looks like us. Black Lives Matter protests erupted stronger and louder than ever and living downtown in a major city, we could just step outside and be part of the movement. Together, Lila and I began to pour our feelings into our art.

I was still working on my Saturday Morning series when Lila suggested the use of Powerpuff Girls, a cartoon linked to her generation, not mine. I had been focusing on my own childhood memories in this work, but when I started exploring Lila’s suggested reference, my focus shifted to her experience at that moment. As a mother, I not only thought about how I could protect her but how could I help her to discover her own voice and inner strength. My Saturday Morning series shifted direction and I tapped into my fierceness as a mother– as a Black mother of a Black girl. The Powerpuff Girl painting became the piece titled “Justice Now.” I consider that piece to be the beginning of a powerful collaboration between me and Lila.

If you are interested in applying for a guest residency here at MoM, please go to our website HERE: https://bit.ly/3uRgugm  to find out more. BE SURE TO HURRY! Spots have been filling FAST! We hope that future tours of the space will be available soon, but they are by appointment only in Artist Enclave Historic Kenwood: “where art lives.”

Grow Mama Grow

There is always plenty to do around this house! At MoM, we continue to be actively reviewing multiple infrastructure definitions, fundraising initiatives, and plans for growth. In the meantime, creating compelling content and opportunities to connect virtually and in-person are essential.

JOIN US (Wed) JUNE 22 6:30-8PM EST for a community talk and discussion on Zoom at our *NEW COMMUNITY. We invite you to pre-register for this FREE workshop. RSVP on the community site with Dr. Roksana Badruddoja.

DR. ROKSANA BADRUDDOJA WORKSHOP EVENT ON OUR COMMUNITY NETWORK: Reproductive trauma-from loss of children to obstetric violence-has an epigenetic impact. In her upcoming MOM Community talk on June 22, 2022, at 7 p.m. EST, Roksana Badruddoja will discuss how trauma changes our gene 🧬 expression/informs how we show up in the world and how we can recover ourselves. Available on our *NEW COMMUNITY SITE. Register now for FREE opportunities to collaborate, communicate, and present. We look forward to connecting over the miles. RSVP.

OUR MULTIPLE INITIATIVES AND WORKS IN PROGRESS:

MEMBERSHIPS: Finally! Memberships have arrived (although they have not launched yet, we should have this functional opportunity ready to launch within the next few days). We are so pleased to announce this new addition to our museum initiative. Now we can better build together. Whether it’s a private tour you’re looking for, access to our conference, newsletter, community or legacy membership – you asked – we’ve got it covered. Please prepare yourselves to sign up for a membership and help us grow, grow, grow. Pick the annual membership that’s right for you by clicking here.

DEFINITIONS: Womyn, m/others, reproductive identities, the Journal of Mother Studies and more. How do we create conversation on these ideas and identities? First, let us begin by understanding from a broad perspective what we are attempting to dialogue about. We will continue examining these topics throughout the 2022-23 year. Read more here.

BECOME AN ALLY: Sign our new ally letter as we build MOMentum in St. Petersburg for the Museum and Motherhood. After meetings with our local council-persons we have learned that on the ground advocacy can result in impact. Our goal is to share your support with our local officials for increased funding. Thank YOU! Sign our petition here.

GUIDESTAR: Our non-profit profile is up at one of the premium portals for fundraising initiatives. While we still gotta get some numbers posted, we aim to do that over the next few months. The more we raise, the more we can brag! Read more here.

Lastly, shout out to a friend: MAKE ART/ NOT SAD panel discussion that is taking place this Sunday 19th June in England. Register for free at following the eventbrite link and find out more.

Yours in Peace, Love, and M/otherhood –