Saturday, June 21, 2014

The Wait and the Reward - My [Wide-Eyed] Response to the Response

It's been a week since I put this painting in the public eye, and wow... what a response! I never expected it to go viral, but it has, and hundreds of thousands of people, from all over the world, have seen this painting and responded to it with great emotion. I am so humbled and grateful for all the comments, likes, and shares around the social media universe. :-) While this piece was incredibly personal to me (and I originally considered NOT posting it publicly), I'm glad that it has touched so many. Perhaps there is a young mother out there who was considering an abortion, but saw this painting and decided to choose life for her baby instead... if that is the case, I would love to hear from her! :-)


"The Wait and the Reward" by Anna Rose Bain - 30x30" - oil on linen

I wanted to share just a few of my favorite comments...

Comments from mothers and mothers-to-be:

"I remember feeling like this when I was pregnant both times. I wanted to hold them. I couldn't wait to hold them. I still love their hugs. I tell both my boys that they have my favorite hugs!"

"We may rub our belly's looking like we are uncomfortable (OK we are) but we are imagining our baby in our arms."

"It's absolutely beautiful. What a simple yet profound articulation of the miracle of life, the safe haven the womb is meant to be, and the most gorgeous revelation of femininity -- motherhood!"

Comments that just cracked me up:

"There's nothing more beautiful in the world than a pregnant white woman."

"Now this is a pregnancy portrait that doesn't disgust me."

"That Teddy Bear's like, "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..."
Comments from pro-life threads:

"Hang that on the wall at Planned Parenthood. They'll go outa business."
"For women who are afraid they cannot handle motherhood I wish we could create this picture for each of them."

"A baby is a baby whether in or out of the womb. Human and sacred from the moment of conception."

From those who read more into my painting than I did...

(I was very amused by this conversation):
Comment 1: "A painting of a seemingly modern mother, under the age of thirty, who wears a wedding ring. Why is the teddy-bear covering its eyes? Why are the bear's feet coloured differently?"
Comment 2: "I suppose the differently-coloured feet show the unknown future: is it a boy (blue) or a (girl)? As for covering its eyes, it may indicate that we do not know what will be, though the outcome here is fairly obvious. Or perhaps the little bear is simply being modest (though it does look as though he is peeking a little)."
Comment 3: "Or he knows that he will soon be in second place?"

Comments from thoughtful observers:

"Wow... art is supposed to affect you... this piece does just that!"

"My eye was drawn to the way her body is holding her baby in both images without her arms changing positions-the natural capacity for nurturing written into her body."

"The hand on her chest when pregnant like she's holding a baby's head.....Beautiful."

"The first thing to come to mind is how this parallels many images of females with eating disorders, or any other self-conscious issues. Instead of seeing herself as a woman with "big hips" or something negative, the woman is seeing purpose--a purpose which is crucial for many girls and women to realize as they struggle with body issues. Our bodies have been made beautifully with purpose, and to embrace this is to discover deep fibers that make up our being."

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7 comments:

  1. Lol about the teddy bear comments! Didn't they read your explanation that the bear is a family toy being passed along to the next generation? And as far as why the bear is covering it's eyes...what about that it's playing peekaboo? :) So glad for the positive recognition your painting is getting! Becky :)

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    1. Thanks, Becky! I know, the comments have been wonderfully entertaining. I'm learning so much about my painting from them! :-)

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  2. I really did laugh out loud over the art-analysis of the teddy bear! This is a truly beautiful and very meaningful painting... (and in my unprofessional opinion) totally worthy of all the attention it's getting. I'm so thrilled at your success! And, by the way, very immediately encouraging to me...I've got 9 weeks left, and am definitely feeling large and uncomfortable. It's so important to keep the end goal in mind! :-)

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  3. Hello Anna!
    When I saw this work reposted by someone on FB, I found it totally new. I've never seen such an interpretation of the mirror, a reflection thought as a time-lapse of one person becoming two in this "future" mirror.
    It's said that separating is creating ("Let it separate the waters from the waters"), and this is what you did with this mirror, in the good way;

    I wanted to know more about you and your art. You have great skills. But I have the feeling that there is something, in your painting, a way of art you can still develop.

    There is something unusual in your compositions, forms and colours.
    At the moment, you mainly paint, in what I could call a "pearly" style. But in fact, there something of Edward Hopper in your painting.
    I don't know if you like Edward Hopper, perhaps you don't, but he has a particular way to paint the light and the fleshes which is very pictorial, simple and strong (orange + blue gray + white, as contrasts in fleshes).
    Perhaps you'll also be interested in the realistic russian school and see the gallery of portraits of Evgeny Grouzdev (https://www.facebook.com/evgeny.grouzdev/media_set?set=a.106552109476764.8268.100003659264092&type=3

    Loving your portraits, you're inspired, you render the soul of people, but also the spirit of the moment.

    Pascale ("waltercolor" - also an artist, thus in a different way).

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    1. Thank you, Pascale! I've never been compared to Hopper before (as his figures tend to be rather lonely and isolated), but I take that as a compliment nonetheless. :-) I just paint what I know, love, and relate to... always with the goal of conveying passion and beauty. Glad to hear my work touches lives. Thanks again!

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  4. Hye !

    I'm midewife in France, and i would like to know if this painting can te be sent ?

    sorry for my english, i like what you do!

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    1. Hi! The original is sold but you can purchase prints here: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-wait-and-the-reward-anna-rose-bain.html

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