2025
Mixed Media (acrylics, water and pastel) on bristol paper, 9″ x 12″

The reflection and documentation of a turning point in time that I am grateful to have been present for. ‘Please, Mom’ is a portrait for permission. It honours the sentiment of an unforgettable shared experience between a girl as she holds her dog in her arms for the very first time. She poses for a photograph, she demonstrates readiness, responsibility and maturity in her stance that she hopes her mother will notice. Her elegant, softened smile, and upright posture is held together by her anticipation to persuade her mother that she is more than ready and responsible enough to care for this dog. She maintains composure by deliberately containing her excitement. Subtle yet evident, her excitement can be revealed through the tension that she holds in her body. As she hugs her arms tightly around the dog, Please, Mom sits quietly beneath the pose. This represents the hope that the two both carry, and a tender performance of maturity and restraint before permission is granted. This piece highlights more than a trivial interaction between the two characters captured in the image. It shows a dog accepting her human, and a young girl’s desire, determination and strategy that ultimately succeeded.