The Umbilical Link
At some point in life, we begin to see our parent’s face in the bathroom mirror. It’s often the same-sex parent who first emerges through the mists of time, speaking to us through our own aging features. What we thought was original to us is suddenly revealed as an inheritance, handed down to us in a genealogical stream that reaches both forward and backward in time. It also manifests in our children, reminding us of our origins and carrying forward whatever legacy we leave behind. Like Russian nesting dolls, we carry versions of ourselves within, who in turn carry their own future offspring.
It was my first daughter who inspired this image, as I watched my influence take root in her growing personality, even as I saw my own mother’s bequest of traits beginning to manifest through me. A mandala image appeared in my mind’s eye, in which both mother and daughter share the umbilicus at the center. The little girl is nested in her mother’s body, which surrounds it in concentric form. Energy radiates from the center, which I decided to create in three-dimensional form – that is, porcupine quills, colored with dots and glued to the painting. The quills came from a porcupine killed on my road, and as is often the case, intersected with an idea that was forming in my mind. With their shiny white surface and dark points, they provided a bold contrast. It was an experiment, which wasn’t easy to fit into my life, having both a baby and a toddler at the time. Somehow I did it.
Like it or not, we manifest through our mothers, and they live on through us.
I did another painting like this titled Paternal Web. I’ll see if I can find it . . . these are among my older works, before computers or even digital cameras. 35mm slides were the name of the game back then.
My daughter who inspired this painting is now 34, and in some ways she is like me, in other ways not. My mother approaches her 90th birthday, and I feel her blood in my veins more than ever. We are all linked in the passage of time, which moves ever so quickly – but a work of art can anchor the insights of our lives, and preserve our most cherished memories.
A good week to all!
D. Yael Bernhard
https://dyaelbernhard.com
Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!