I created this series of watercolors during an island vacation on my first trip away from my baby. Each day during my trip I took out my watercolors and pastels and forced myself to capture my feelings and my environment. During this trip, I pumped milk from my breasts every couple of hours to keep up my milk supply. I wrestled with my new role as a mother and the difficulty of filling my own cup while supporting my family and social network. I was able to take this vacation because my parents and sisters watched our baby for my husband and me. I felt guilty about leaving my baby and being able to take a trip at all.

This series is a reminder for me that we all need a rest, a vacation, a true break. We also cannot mother alone. It takes a community of support to raise children.