In January of 2020 I embarked on a self-imposed Residence in Motherhood as a means to reflect on the previous year in which I raised twin babies and a two year old. By documenting and spending time with the relics from this period in our lives I coped with the experience, committed some details to memory, and finally let them go.

I started out on this journey to relive the pumping portion of my breastfeeding experience with my twins as a way to process the tedious – while beneficial – act of pumping and and cope with the fact that I was never able to provide enough milk for them without supplementation. In the process I formed many correlations between pumping and the meditation of carving and in the end I found peace and even pride in what I was able to provide for them. Seeing and feeling the quantification helped me to grasp the enormity of it and understand the time and labor of my undertaking.

In February of 202o I decided to embark on an official residence in motherhood, a series of projects to help quantify my experience with two babies last year and to honor the relics that have already disappeared from my daily life. I’m going to collagraph, monoprint, and make cyanotypes in addition to traditional mark making and whatever else grow out of this journey. Thank you for following along.

kristy.cavaretta

Thank you to everyone who came out to see us at @c

Enjoy some woodblock inking zen. A gentle remind

In the studio trying to maintain the momentum and

Today in the studio, little sketchbook finds on qu

I can’t wait to see what you all do with these.

On the floor sorting, signing, and stuffing close

After a week of fighting with the details printing

Here they are, two months worth of work compressed

🤩✨

I finished carving my alphabet! Now to print like

Look at me, printing two blocks at a time. I’m d

The final 6 blocks are drawn! Including an & and a

Will I ever get one of those fancy phone holders o

Currently on the kitchen table. Feeling like this

There are stacks of letters in various states all

The twins and I have gotten into a flow of afterno

I tried to get a jump on printing the first group

I very very rarely have the kids in my mess of a h

I’m super excited to see the first proofs of thi

My mom did traditional Norwegian Rosemaling when I

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