A sculpture with meaning to me...
'45yrs to 55yrs - Celebrating Womanhood
- transition between our mother and elder cycles.'
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I've been contemplating for several months now on my current cyclic journey of womanhood. I am moving into new territory for me - out of being a fertile and youthful woman, and into being an elder woman.
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As a child going through puberty I was well-prepared, like many modern day young girls. My body did it's thing and clobbered me over the head as I changed from a girl to woman.
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Then my fertile years continued, for some 30 odd years, however now, at 46yrs old I look in the mirror and see more wrinkles than I had before, parts of my body are showing their age and I certainly have passed my 'prime' in regards to appearance. My child-bearing days are coming to an end.
... and this is the time period I want to explore.
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Strangely a part of me has been on the 'look out' for female role models that take me into my next phase. I've been asking some women of that age a few questions - not a lot because until this point of expression I have been unclear about what I want to know.
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I want to know of others who have approached this cyclic transition phase consciously, however it seems that most have done it unconsciously or at least quietly - maybe kicking and screaming into the Menopause jail cell?
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I don't want to be like that.
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I want to embrace this natural part of my life cycle that cannot be avoided, denied or ignored. It is approaching sometime over the next few years and I feel that I want to be prepared and ready so that I can both embody and embrace this new phase.
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On New Year's Eve 2022, with a newly set up Art Studio (after a good 7-8 months break after moving house) I started sculpting a new form, a female form. Shortly after I began I knew I wanted to create a mid-aged woman like me and to celebrate that.
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I managed to build her up to the shoulders on the first day, and then left her to firm up overnight so I could add arms, head etc without her collapsing.
Over the coming few days I worked on her.
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Now she has taken form and the sculpting phase is complete. The below pictures show how she turned out. Glazing and firing is yet to be done.
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I wanted to uplift her a bit. As our new home has an abundance of frogs and rabbits, I thought straight away of those and added them on her.
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Her head is open, ready for a lovely plant once she is fired.
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Her hand is lovingly placed on her belly - where she grew and birthed her babies, and where her body reminded her of her fertility and youth each month.
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Her right hand is placed on her heart, as she connects with the tenderness, yet strength of her heart, love and all of the experiences, people and things that have touched her there.
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This sculpture is symbolic in every way and it contains all of what I want to embrace during this transition phase of my journey, at least for now.
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The rabbit, her loyal companion, reminds her (me) that even as her physical fertility ceases her ability to be fertile and to create, as well as tending to her motherly and caring instincts will not vanish. In fact the creator in her can flourish under these conditions.
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The frog reminds her (me) of a new environment, especially inwardly that she will become accustomed to, like she did before when going from maiden to mother / woman. The frog will help her cleanse and move from one cyclic phase to the next.
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The jewels represent the beauty and style she continues to bring into her next chapter - not based on some fanciful trend, but on the colours, styles and creations she enjoys and feels comfortable wearing.
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The flowers in her hair are a blossoming and flourishing of sorts - although at times hidden from her view, she is growing in her beauty and understanding of herself, and there is nothing more beautiful than a man or woman who knows themselves.
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Her eyes are kind and caring, as she cares for herself, others and the truth of things. She is the protector and the communicator of her values, stories and wisdom that she has learned throughout her half-ish century of life.
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She is not a know-it-all but someone who understands where others are at and offers a shoulder to cry on, a word or two of wisdom or some necessary honesty.
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No longer a 'push-over' but ever a carer, healer, listener and creator, she is at one with nature, and her own nature, and she cares deeply, very deeply for those she loves and those she comes to connect with.
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This is the elder-woman I want to be, and I embrace my journey getting to that point - without wishing my life away. I have my youthful fertile mother phase to 'tie up' now as I dance, sing, weep, and celebrate my way towards my next phase.
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Many beautiful women and ancestors known and unknown to me have reached this leg before me, and I feel them all there, on the sidelines cheering me on.
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For now, I celebrate and embody myself and where I am at and feel my way through as my journey unfolds.
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'I meet myself where I am' - yet I also remain aware of the changes that are afoot.
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Title: '45yrs to 55yrs - Celebrating Womanhood
- transition between our mother and elder cycles.'
Lee-Anne Peters
Completed: 2 Jan 2023 (sculpture only, not fired yet)
Clay: BRT clay
Height: 50cm wet
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What a beautiful way to express your transition from mother to crone. I love the warmth in the wise words you have chosen to express this beautiful piece of art. I look forward to seeing her finished
A very beautiful sculpture and rendition of words to which we all as women relate. The next step as you transition through your changing years is indeed a journey and how fitting that you incorporated the bunny in the year of the “Rabbit”.
Big Smiles lovely lady 😊❤🐰🐸
I adore this piece, thank you for celebrating this crone phase so beautifully. I am here in this phase and feel as though it’s not the last and final yet just the next 10 years thank you she’s so perfect ❤️
Welcome! Beautifully written, I felt every word you spoke AMAZING
Dear Leeanne, what amazing words you have written, I don’t quite know what to say, however, want to say something. You are really an wonderful woman, I wish you a loving journey through your life being the woman you are, full of love, expression, creativeness & compassion. I am sure that, you knowing these attributes well, that you carry these with you. I am honoured to know you and consider you a true friend also that we have always been and always will be here for each other. What a brave and loving soul you are.
“Journey with love in your heart”
Rosie. xoxo