School students respond to the Artworks in Mother(load)

Grade 6-7-8 Middle School students visited the exhibition Mother(load) this week - and this is what they had to say about the artworks that they enjoyed or connected to most ...

All of the artworks...
... have their own message behind them. They [artists] didn't stop doing what they love. The artwork speaks to you.
-grade 8

the Archaeology of Motherhood, mixed media by Devon L. Muhlert.
... is my favourite piece because it is made of pins and quilt pieces, paper, and other mixed media. It is very interesting to look at and I think it is my favourite piece in this art gallery. It makes me feel happy to look at it.          -age 13 

Cradling Hope, mixed media on canvas by Jacqueline Rieger .    
... is my fav art piece. I like that one because the colours are really cool and it's a really pretty painting, and I like how it pops out at you.
-grade 7  

Cradling Hope, mixed media on canvas by Jacqueline Rieger. 
- I really like it because it looks like a lady at night Standing in front of the moon and because there's lots of colour it makes me feel happy.
-grade 6

Cradling Hope, mixed media on canvas by Jacqueline Rieger. 
- Interesting colours makes me feel like I'm in another world. Sparks curiosity. I really liked it.
-grade 6

Cradling Hope, mixed media on canvas by Jacqueline Rieger .
- It’s just vibrant                                                                                                              
-grade 7

Do Your Dream, mixed media by Lynette Stebner.
- I really like this art piece. Feels similar to my life; all the things I have to do. Makes me happy!
-grade 6 

Embrace the Thunder, mixed media by Jill Meredith. 
- I was drawn to the title - since our move from Ontario I feel we've been forced to embrace the noise and vibration of a new home / city / province. I like the word EMBRACE - it gives me permission to feel all the feels. 
-grade unknown

Embrace the Thunder, mixed media by Jill Meredith.  
- I enjoyed how the colours were mixed. The colour choices have a feeling of Happiness and creativity.                           
​-grade 6

Embrace the Thunder, mixed media by Jill Meredith.    
- I like because it looks really beautiful and the colors really pop out
-grade 6

Eve’s Garden, fabric/acrylic oil by Karen Stewart.
... lots to look at and you could never get bored
-grade 6

Family, oil by Denise Patrick.
- I liked this piece of art because I really liked all of the colours that the artist chose and I wonder what the artist was thinking/feeling when they made it.
-grade 7 

Family, acrylic by Denise Patrick.
- Lots of Colors. The planets reminded me of a family.
-grade 6

Family, acrylic by Denise Patrick.
- I felt a Strong Connection with this Art because of the hue, value and the way it looks.. -I really enjoyed the Art. The Art made me feel happy and understood.
-grade: 7

is there TIME for both motherhood and art?, acrylic, pen + ink on textured wood panel by Pamela Cinnamon.
- All the different times using different symbols for showing how the time fits eg. butterfly, flowers, clocks.
-grade unknown 

Mixed and Unmatched, mixed media by Sara Wiens.
…I also thought that the one with the laundry was cool too. 
-grade 8

Mom, oil painting by Denise Patrick.
- The beauty of this piece is indescribable, so natural, so real. Real as you could see the mother-in-law not in the painting but just in reality moving, breathing, laughing, smiling. You don't just see the painting, you see her. You see the flowers, You see life, reality, beauty.
-grade 7

Mother(load), drawings by Roberta Sutherland.
- I love how it just explains the beauty of pregnancy and fertility and how mothers are willing to give up their bodies and even their life for this unique and amazing experiment. It represents "bounce back" culture in a way and how all our bodies are different after childbirth whether they bounce back or not and it should not be expected of us. I think that because there's Stretch marks it looks like, around her body from pregnancy and you cannot get rid of those and it's natural but people still get ridiculed for it.
-grade 7

Mother, Matrix, Maatrikaa, acrylic, fabric + glass on hardboard by Rena Warren + Larkin Dunn Warren.
- The Flower to me was special because it reminded me of my grandma who loved flowers and when her mom passed away her last word was please take care of my flower garden and that is what my grandmother did. All the flowers are still there to this day. The little mirror reminded me of how a little sentence means big work because the flower [form] was smaller to bigger.                                                                             
-grade 6

Mother, Matrix, Maatrikaa, acrylic, fabric + glass on hardboard by Rena Warren + Larkin Dunn Warren.
... another piece that I liked was the big flower because it was pretty, I liked all the detail on it and the mirror in the middle was cool.
-grade 8

Mother Urge, acrylic, ink, collage by Tess Letailleur.
- I liked the bird's nest with the feather because it was pretty and creative. I really liked how the string was placed and how detailed it was. This piece of art was really pretty.
-grade 8 

My Mother and I, fibre art/embroidery by Alice Pallett.
... is my favourite piece. This is my favourite because my great grandma makes stuff like this.
-grade

My Mother and I, fibre art/embroidery by Alice Pallett.
I don't really know why but it was really pretty and you could tell how much time it took to make.
-grade 7

Re Surfacing, acrylic + mixed medium by Kate Brown.
Brush stocks showing movement, showing no matter how you can be tangled you can get up.
-grade unknown 

Through Rose - Coloured Glasses, acrylic on canvas  by Lisa Figueroa.
- I love all the colours and how clean it was, it really stood out from the other art
-grade 7