Katie m. Berggren - honest, emotional, motherhood-themed acrylic paintings and art cards - originals for purchase, gallery showings, art events, shop online, art references, portland oregon, vancouver washington, longview washington

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Katie m. Berggren painting: Spending Time

"Spending Time"
Acrylic on Cradled Panel
30x24"
February 2008

From The Artist:
When the kids are in bed at night, grown-up time begins. I value this evening time immensely and often try to use it very carefully to avoid wasting or overspending! Every item I can cross off my list in the evening is one less thing to worry about during kid-time the next morning and throughout the next day. Every night before turning in I step in to take a look at each of my peacefully sleeping children. Frequently, the act of re-covering or a little kiss will wake my oldest son just enough for him to ask me to hold his hand and “pat his bottom”. Seeing him there with his little hand wrapped in my own, I count my blessings and feel reconnected to him as a little person. Even though my children can require so much of my mind, body and soul, sometimes all they ask of me is a little bit of my hard-earned time.

A word or two about the snowman: his name is Flurry and he was given to me as a child.

When on a sledding trip to the mountains a good friend of mine came sailing down the hill at top speed and despite his yells for me to get out of the way, he sent me sailing as well. I woke up in the van, where I believe I remained for the rest of the journey. I never did like playing in the snow! This friend of mine came to visit another day, bringing me Flurry – a stuffed snowman – as a way to apologize for the accident. Unfortunately, I do not know Flurry’s whereabouts at this time.

After telling my three-year old the above story (he loves to hear stories from the past) he asked if we had a snowman toy – we don’t – but I thought it fitting to place the snowman in this painting. This addition is important because it provides a way for Spending Time to not be too personal in regard to an actual piece of my son’s life (do I want this?) and secondly, it links my current life to the past and my dear friend – who still is my friend to this day, though I miss our times together.