Hello friends! A couple of months ago, I introduced you to my dad and his important support for me as an artist. This month, it’s my mom’s turn. May is an appropriate month to shine a spotlight on my mom for two reasons: 1. Mother’s Day is in May, and 2. my birthday is also in May – and I wouldn’t be here without her! This month’s story will be about creative pursuits outside of painting but don’t worry, paintings will be back next month. I hope you enjoy this story!

Back in 2018, I picked up knitting again after learning how to as a child. I was inspired by all the pretty shawls I saw on Pinterest and decided to try it out. I also heard about prayer shawls and loved the idea of being able to pray for people through knitting; that prayers could be carried by each stitch.

I wanted to knit some shawls for my mom and mother-in-law. I had found a place online that sold reclaimed silk yarn and bought a couple skeins in two colours. My plan was that I would knit a silver shawl for my mother-in-law, a purple shawl for my own mom, and a third shawl with a mix of the remaining yarn for myself. (That third shawl is still sitting half-finished in a box under my desk.)

What I I didn’t know when I started my mom’s shawl was that I would be working on it during my emergency flight to Toronto when my dad was dying. Or that I would finish it in time to gift it to her on her first Mother’s Day as a widow during her visit to Vancouver. But that’s what ended up happening. I chose a pattern called, “Close to You,” which reflected my hope that every time my mom saw or wore the shawl, she would remember our relationship and know she wasn’t alone.

Many people have asked me where I get my “artistic genes” from. Both my parents are creative, but if I had to pick one parent, it would be my mom. Shortly after I was born, my mom quit her job at the bank to stay home and raise me. It didn’t mean she didn’t work though. Growing up, I watched her employ her wide range of skills to create goods for people. She made intricate multi-tiered wedding cakes with gorgeous piping and realistic gum paste flowers. She sewed curtains. She put together bountiful gift baskets tied with handmade ribbons. Being surrounded by her creativity nurtured my own.

Being my primary day-to-day caregiver, my mom was also my chauffeur; driving me to and from school nearly every day, all the way until high school. She was also the one who would go shopping for art supplies with me. Remember the garage door frogs that I shared about a couple months ago? Guess who brought me downtown to a specific paint shop so I could get a particular paint brush to do that project? That’s right, my mom.

My mom moved to Vancouver a few years ago to be closer to me and our family. Since her move, once a week, she picks up my kids from school, makes us dinner and stays to eat with us. She is often one of the first people who sees what I’m working on. Without her help, I wouldn’t be able to have a longer, uninterrupted chunk of time to focus on my art so regularly. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to build my art practice and business. Last Christmas, I gave my mom a very special painting for her place. I won’t write about it this month as I’m planning to include it in my 2025 calendar so I will share that story in the future! (How’s that for a teaser?)

To say I’m grateful for the support my mom has given me is a major understatement. I literally would not be here without her. Thanks, mom, for everything!

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Who in your life has supported or served you in small, daily ways? How can you show your appreciation to them this month?

If you enjoyed this post and want to read a monthly art story, remember to sign up so future posts get delivered to your email! I usually post them the second Friday of each month. (Add me to your contacts list or you might need to check your promotions or junk folders if you don’t see the email.)

As always, I love to hear from you! If something in this story resonated with you, if you’re interested in commissioning a painting, or if you have other thoughts, feel free to email, or connect with me

The post Every Painting Has a Story: May 2024 – The Time I Knitted a Shawl for My Mom appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

Hello friends, it’s May! This is my favourite month, partly because it’s my birthday month. The story behind the painting for this month also warms my heart. I hope it warms your heart too.

“Heart | Home” was a unique commission from a relative of ours who wanted to surprise her mother for Mother’s Day. Her mother loves sunsets and the image was based off of a photo that her mother had taken from their backyard. Part of what made the gift especially meaningful was that the two of them lived in separate cities and she was able to give her mom the painting in person while she was on a visit.

Another special thing about this commission was that I had painted a smaller concept piece before doing the larger one and I gifted the smaller piece to my client so that she could have matching artwork with her mother. I wanted them to have a reminder of their connection in spite of their physical distance.

I titled it “Heart | Home” because those two words came to mind when I thought about the mother-daughter connection and this mother-daughter relationship in particular. A daughter will always be in her mother’s heart and the mother will always be her daughter’s first home. Mothers and daughters are not immune to tension but that relationship shapes us at a foundational level.

For me as an artist, working with this client was a dream project because she knew exactly what she wanted yet gave me artistic freedom. It was such a joy to work with her and to hear about her mother’s response to the piece. The fact that they are part of our extended family made it all the more precious and enjoyable.

I chose to include this piece in my calendar for the month of May partly because it’s a Mother’s Day story and partly because I love the colour purple and I wanted a purple sky for my birthday month. I hope it brings a sense of calm and hopefulness to your days this month.

For those with the Scripture calendar

This month’s artwork is paired with Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” I love this image of strong and comforting Divine arms protecting us and sustaining us. Like a mother cradling her child, I picture God holding us in love. We are eternally safe.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: In what area of your life are you longing for refuge and support? Who in your life offers you this sense of safety? To whom can you extend this kind of love to? 

Thank you for all your support!

My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the support you have shown me for my Tiny Expanses art show! Over the course of the two week show, over 150 people came to see the pieces in person and 70 of my paintings were sold. If you missed it, you can still view and purchase my work at my web shop. There are still some beautiful pieces remaining and would make lovely gifts or additions to your home.

Thanks for being a part of history! I will forever treasure the experience of my first solo art show.

If you enjoyed this post and want to read a monthly art story, remember to sign up so future posts get delivered to your email! I usually post them the second Friday of each month. (Add me to your contacts list or you might need to check your promotions or junk folders if you don’t see the email.)

As always, I love to hear from you! If something in this story resonated with you, if you’re interested in commissioning a painting, or if you have other thoughts, feel free to email, or connect with me on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: May 2023 – “Heart | Home” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.