Supersedure

Supersedure by Rebecca Reasons Edwards

A lot has happened in the past few years.  I brought my mother to Atlanta from California to live with us so we could care for her.  It was the most challenging yet rewarding thing I have yet to do.  Trying to divide the time between caring for my children and my husband and my mother and work left little time remaining to pursue art.

Most of what I did was small scale and took place in a sketchbook.  Since my artistic expression took place in the flat world of a sketchbook, my fiber art took a 3-D path.  I made several pieces using wire as armature and several pieces using geometry and garment sewing techniques to create the shapes I was aiming for.

In March 2011 my mother passed away.  In the months that followed I made bees while I thought about her role in our family.  My mother was always the queen bee.  She had a resolve that was steadfast.  She reigned as queen of every hive in her kingdom -- home, school, work and volunteer.  After my father retired and they moved to Carlsbad, CA, she reigned as queen of the homeowner's association for nearly a decade.  My mom was a mobilizer.  She inspired people to action.  But she was not one to stand by the sidelines and watch while others did the work, she would roll up her sleeves and work just as hard.

I realized that my role as a worker bee in our family dynamic had changed with my mom's death.  I was now the queen bee and it was my responsibility to keep the hive healthy and strong.  It was this realization that inspired this piece.  I was delighted when The Art Place at Mountain View purchased it for a permanent installation in their gallery's atrium.  This is a picture of how the piece was exhibited in the gallery.  Where it hangs now is a bright and sunny room.  The perfect spot to go and remember my mom.