A Place to Rest

100 x 100 cm || Acrylic on canvas

I have found myself in this place many times over the past two years, searching for the quiet moments that exist somewhere in the beautiful chaos of raising young children.

My favourite time of day has always been the golden hour, the fleeting stretch of light before the sun disappears. Yet, with children, it is often the busiest part of the day. There are dinners to make, baths to run, and the general rush of emotions that accompanies the end of another day’s play that cannot possibly be over.

In the middle of it all, I retreat to our window overlooking the park. Simply watching the world beyond the glass. Birds building their nests, children weaving past on bicycles, dogs stopping to investigate an interesting scent. Ordinary moments, unfolding quietly.

And for a couple of minutes, something in me softens. My body relaxes, my heartbeat slows. The noise would quieten, at least within me.

This painting was born from one of those moments. A moment of finding rest in the present, and remembering the woman beneath the many roles of motherhood.

The mother has a quiet strength and almost regal presence. Rich, layered colours speaks to the depth, tenderness and resilience that motherhood can hold, while intentional, expressive brushstrokes soften the scene into something dreamlike — suspended somewhere between memory and reality. For me, A Place to Rest is not simply a painting of a mother and child. It is a reminder that amongst the noise, there are still moments to pause, to breathe, and to find our way back to ourselves.