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"Behold My Heart Journal" by Carol Moore
This journal was created to complement my
GAIA exhibition at BlackRock Center for the Arts
November 13, 2022 - March 7, 2023
The original hand-stitched, hand-crafted journal has an etched aluminum cover with a driftwood handle.
This journal was created to complement my
GAIA exhibition at BlackRock Center for the Arts
November 13, 2022 - March 7, 2023
The original hand-stitched, hand-crafted journal has an etched aluminum cover with a driftwood handle.
Forward
The prints and the “Behold My Heart” journal chronicle some of the landmark events in my life as they were informed
by Gaia, or Mother Earth. Like a mother, our living, breathing earth provides nurture, food, and shelter. She also teaches lessons.
Her language, the language of nature, is one that we can all understand regardless of our sex, race, culture, or religion.
In this journal, I describe some of the lessons that I have learned.
I also honor my “root” family. My mother, father, five sisters and brother to whom
I feel a profound connection rooted in innate love.
There is so much more to my life story that this exhibition and journal does not address.
There is my “chosen” family, my husband, my daughter, my son and my grandchildren.
My heart swells when I think of them, and one day, I may fill a gallery with prints about them.
There is also my extended family, friends, pets, and other life experiences
that are very integral parts of my life. My heart remembers!
I invite you to read this journal in the hope that
you will find a connection to your life story.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story and my heart.
The prints and the “Behold My Heart” journal chronicle some of the landmark events in my life as they were informed
by Gaia, or Mother Earth. Like a mother, our living, breathing earth provides nurture, food, and shelter. She also teaches lessons.
Her language, the language of nature, is one that we can all understand regardless of our sex, race, culture, or religion.
In this journal, I describe some of the lessons that I have learned.
I also honor my “root” family. My mother, father, five sisters and brother to whom
I feel a profound connection rooted in innate love.
There is so much more to my life story that this exhibition and journal does not address.
There is my “chosen” family, my husband, my daughter, my son and my grandchildren.
My heart swells when I think of them, and one day, I may fill a gallery with prints about them.
There is also my extended family, friends, pets, and other life experiences
that are very integral parts of my life. My heart remembers!
I invite you to read this journal in the hope that
you will find a connection to your life story.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story and my heart.
My Story
Of My Mother
Intaglio by Carol Moore
My Mother was born in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania.
She was the youngest child to John and Emma.
Her father died from a hernia when she was just seven years old.
Her mother never remarried and my mom lived with her
Mother, her two uncles Fred and Lawnie, and three brothers, John (Red), Gerald, and Paul.
One Mother’s Day, I created this print, “Of My Mother” as a gift for my mom.
My Mother’s mom and brothers had passed on many years prior.
I was so taken by her reaction when she opened the gift
and exclaimed, “there is my family!”
I am number six of seven of my mother’s children,
I suppose I thought of us as her family.
I have come to know that our “root” family is special because
there is a sense of unquestioned belonging and love.
The pansies in the foreground of this print are of special significance.
While in Catholic school the nuns taught my mother how to paint pansies on cloth handkerchiefs;
they were very lovely with lace trim.
My grandmother displayed them on a table in her living room like treasures!
I can remember as a young girl admiring the handkerchiefs
and feeling so proud of my mother; she was an artist!
I believe that this memory was an early seed that was planted to one day
become an artist like my mother.
Intaglio by Carol Moore
My Mother was born in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania.
She was the youngest child to John and Emma.
Her father died from a hernia when she was just seven years old.
Her mother never remarried and my mom lived with her
Mother, her two uncles Fred and Lawnie, and three brothers, John (Red), Gerald, and Paul.
One Mother’s Day, I created this print, “Of My Mother” as a gift for my mom.
My Mother’s mom and brothers had passed on many years prior.
I was so taken by her reaction when she opened the gift
and exclaimed, “there is my family!”
I am number six of seven of my mother’s children,
I suppose I thought of us as her family.
I have come to know that our “root” family is special because
there is a sense of unquestioned belonging and love.
The pansies in the foreground of this print are of special significance.
While in Catholic school the nuns taught my mother how to paint pansies on cloth handkerchiefs;
they were very lovely with lace trim.
My grandmother displayed them on a table in her living room like treasures!
I can remember as a young girl admiring the handkerchiefs
and feeling so proud of my mother; she was an artist!
I believe that this memory was an early seed that was planted to one day
become an artist like my mother.
The Kitchen Tree
Lithograph by Carol Moore
When I was a young girl, I was given so much freedom!
I have deep appreciation to have lived in a time when my parents
felt it was safe to send me outside to play and explore.
Nature was mine!
I did not have to ask permission, I did not feel fear, I did not remember seeing insects or wild animals,
I felt safe and a part of the natural world.
I was a young forager, and I had several kitchen trees.
The best one was at the edge of my elementary school playground.
It was a glorious old oak that had large, twisted roots that were exposed.
When I visited my kitchen tree, I always came with my arms
and pockets filled with leaves, rocks, acorns, and sticks; whatever I could find.
I would them prepare them in the roots of my kitchen tree
pretending that I was an early American Colonist or a Native American.
Playing in the kitchen tree is among my happiest childhood memories.
I felt so connected to the earth; I was part of it.
The foraging was an early creative activity that
that I still enjoy today.
You can see that I am missing a button on my coat.
The buttons were metal with a metal loop on the back that always
cut through the thread, and they would often fall off!
For some reason this really upset my mom, especially if I lost one.
Can you find the missing button in the print?
Lithograph by Carol Moore
When I was a young girl, I was given so much freedom!
I have deep appreciation to have lived in a time when my parents
felt it was safe to send me outside to play and explore.
Nature was mine!
I did not have to ask permission, I did not feel fear, I did not remember seeing insects or wild animals,
I felt safe and a part of the natural world.
I was a young forager, and I had several kitchen trees.
The best one was at the edge of my elementary school playground.
It was a glorious old oak that had large, twisted roots that were exposed.
When I visited my kitchen tree, I always came with my arms
and pockets filled with leaves, rocks, acorns, and sticks; whatever I could find.
I would them prepare them in the roots of my kitchen tree
pretending that I was an early American Colonist or a Native American.
Playing in the kitchen tree is among my happiest childhood memories.
I felt so connected to the earth; I was part of it.
The foraging was an early creative activity that
that I still enjoy today.
You can see that I am missing a button on my coat.
The buttons were metal with a metal loop on the back that always
cut through the thread, and they would often fall off!
For some reason this really upset my mom, especially if I lost one.
Can you find the missing button in the print?
The Dance
Lithograph by Carol Moore
Years later, my foraging continued when I took my daily walks.
My walks in nature energized and restored me.
As part of my printmaking practice,
I was always on the lookout for specimens and inspiration.
One day I found a tiny weed with long fibers that protected small flowers within. As usual, I took my specimens home
and put them in my flower press to be later scanned for a closer look.
When I enlarged this tiny weed, I was moved to the thought of the relationship between two people;
that a relationship is a dance and that a valued relationship needs to be protected and revered.
This print to me is a symbol of marriage.
I am grateful to be married to my husband John for 33 years now.
Our relationship is a gift that I value beyond words.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
Years later, my foraging continued when I took my daily walks.
My walks in nature energized and restored me.
As part of my printmaking practice,
I was always on the lookout for specimens and inspiration.
One day I found a tiny weed with long fibers that protected small flowers within. As usual, I took my specimens home
and put them in my flower press to be later scanned for a closer look.
When I enlarged this tiny weed, I was moved to the thought of the relationship between two people;
that a relationship is a dance and that a valued relationship needs to be protected and revered.
This print to me is a symbol of marriage.
I am grateful to be married to my husband John for 33 years now.
Our relationship is a gift that I value beyond words.
The Fallen One
Lithograph by Carol Moore
In the past ten years, many
who have played a major role in my life have passed away.
I have come to know that the journey through grief is
both difficult and beautiful; just like love.
I often look to the natural world for lessons and in this image, I looked to the fallen tree
and what it teaches us about the duality of death.
On the one hand, you can see the dead tree slowly returning to the earth.
On the other hand, you can see the life growing
from the soil that the fallen tree is enriching.
When we die, we are the fallen tree, it takes time for those who love us to adjust to our fall.
We will always miss our loved ones who have passed before us, but if we allow anguish to fade, we just remember the love.
I have found that death amplifies love and that is a beautiful gift.
The daisy in this print symbolizes the individual among
the many who have lost.
Gently, slowly, find your way to love.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
In the past ten years, many
who have played a major role in my life have passed away.
I have come to know that the journey through grief is
both difficult and beautiful; just like love.
I often look to the natural world for lessons and in this image, I looked to the fallen tree
and what it teaches us about the duality of death.
On the one hand, you can see the dead tree slowly returning to the earth.
On the other hand, you can see the life growing
from the soil that the fallen tree is enriching.
When we die, we are the fallen tree, it takes time for those who love us to adjust to our fall.
We will always miss our loved ones who have passed before us, but if we allow anguish to fade, we just remember the love.
I have found that death amplifies love and that is a beautiful gift.
The daisy in this print symbolizes the individual among
the many who have lost.
Gently, slowly, find your way to love.
Seeking Refuge
Intaglio by Carol Moore
Losing a child is heartbreaking.
My son, Sam, died in 2012 from a brain tumor at the age of fifteen.
I did the only thing that made sense to get through my grief.
I set out with a heavy heart, and I walked, a lot.
Somehow putting my feet on the earth, breathing the air,
and seeing the expanse of the sky opened my mind
and helped me to connect to Sam and focus on the love we shared.
This print is a reminder that we can look to the natural world, the earth
for healing whenever we need relief from our human condition.
Like a mother, the earth nurtures us by providing
food, shelter, and even emotional support.
All the advances in technology, our jobs, the pandemic, and
the constant running, can create great imbalances within us.
I have found that if I turn to the earth and strive to be in “sync,”
I can begin to restore my balance.
Intaglio by Carol Moore
Losing a child is heartbreaking.
My son, Sam, died in 2012 from a brain tumor at the age of fifteen.
I did the only thing that made sense to get through my grief.
I set out with a heavy heart, and I walked, a lot.
Somehow putting my feet on the earth, breathing the air,
and seeing the expanse of the sky opened my mind
and helped me to connect to Sam and focus on the love we shared.
This print is a reminder that we can look to the natural world, the earth
for healing whenever we need relief from our human condition.
Like a mother, the earth nurtures us by providing
food, shelter, and even emotional support.
All the advances in technology, our jobs, the pandemic, and
the constant running, can create great imbalances within us.
I have found that if I turn to the earth and strive to be in “sync,”
I can begin to restore my balance.
The Everything Tree
Lithograph by Carol Moore
After spending so much time walking and foraging in nature,
I began to really admire the beautiful collection
of specimens that I had collected.
One day I walked by an Alder tree in my neighborhood
that looked like it had two different shaped leaves.
I suppose what I thought was a leaf could have been a kind
of flower or seed pod, but the idea for a print was born!
I wondered what it would look like
if all my specimens existed in the same tree?
This idea swam around in my mind for several years.
After reexamining my leaf, flower, grass, and bark specimens, as well as
photographs taken on my walks, I was able to bring this imaginary tree to life.
This wise old tree honors the earth and the specimens
that have offered me so much inspiration.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
After spending so much time walking and foraging in nature,
I began to really admire the beautiful collection
of specimens that I had collected.
One day I walked by an Alder tree in my neighborhood
that looked like it had two different shaped leaves.
I suppose what I thought was a leaf could have been a kind
of flower or seed pod, but the idea for a print was born!
I wondered what it would look like
if all my specimens existed in the same tree?
This idea swam around in my mind for several years.
After reexamining my leaf, flower, grass, and bark specimens, as well as
photographs taken on my walks, I was able to bring this imaginary tree to life.
This wise old tree honors the earth and the specimens
that have offered me so much inspiration.
And So On…
Lithograph by Carol Moore
This print is lovingly dedicated to my mother, Marie,
who passed away in December of 2017.
She was a wonderful mother to all seven of her children.
The nest was inspired by the center of a Clematis flower.
They are a glorious perennial flower that bloom in my garden each spring.
This print not only celebrates the miracle of the cycle of life,
but also serves as a symbol that the spirit lives on, even after one departs this world.
Love continues.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
This print is lovingly dedicated to my mother, Marie,
who passed away in December of 2017.
She was a wonderful mother to all seven of her children.
The nest was inspired by the center of a Clematis flower.
They are a glorious perennial flower that bloom in my garden each spring.
This print not only celebrates the miracle of the cycle of life,
but also serves as a symbol that the spirit lives on, even after one departs this world.
Love continues.
Holding Back
Lithograph by Carol Moore
Have you ever had a dream that you could not realize?
Back in the 1980’s I took an intaglio printmaking class in college,
and I loved it! At the time I could not take any more printmaking classes,
but I told myself that one day I would.
A few years went by, I tried early in my graphic design career
to take an intaglio course at Montgomery College at night,
but my schedule was very busy, and I was unable to devote my time to it.
Life moved along, I got married, had two kids, and lived overseas
for many years for my husband’s work.
Still, I never forgot that dream to go back to school and study printmaking.
Every semester I would check the Montgomery College catalog to see if MC offered a
printmaking class at time that would work for me, but it never did.
Twenty-seven years had passed since I took that first intaglio class.
My son’s cancer was in remission, my daughter was at college,
so, I decided it was time to make that dream a reality.
I took an intaglio class; I was sure that this is what I was meant to do.
A year later the dream was again put on hold as my son’s cancer returned,
he fought for another year, but he passed away.
To survive this loss, I walked in nature and I put my mind on printmaking.
I believe that printmaking was a gift of God’s grace intended to show me the
way forward through my grief.
I am profoundly grateful, and I know now that I had to wait for
this dream to be realized in the right time in my life’s journey.
This print is a reminder to not give up on your dreams.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
Have you ever had a dream that you could not realize?
Back in the 1980’s I took an intaglio printmaking class in college,
and I loved it! At the time I could not take any more printmaking classes,
but I told myself that one day I would.
A few years went by, I tried early in my graphic design career
to take an intaglio course at Montgomery College at night,
but my schedule was very busy, and I was unable to devote my time to it.
Life moved along, I got married, had two kids, and lived overseas
for many years for my husband’s work.
Still, I never forgot that dream to go back to school and study printmaking.
Every semester I would check the Montgomery College catalog to see if MC offered a
printmaking class at time that would work for me, but it never did.
Twenty-seven years had passed since I took that first intaglio class.
My son’s cancer was in remission, my daughter was at college,
so, I decided it was time to make that dream a reality.
I took an intaglio class; I was sure that this is what I was meant to do.
A year later the dream was again put on hold as my son’s cancer returned,
he fought for another year, but he passed away.
To survive this loss, I walked in nature and I put my mind on printmaking.
I believe that printmaking was a gift of God’s grace intended to show me the
way forward through my grief.
I am profoundly grateful, and I know now that I had to wait for
this dream to be realized in the right time in my life’s journey.
This print is a reminder to not give up on your dreams.
Totem II
Intaglio by Carol Moore
Many years ago, when I was a young adult, I had a dream about a rabbit image.
It was very primal like a cave drawing. That image really stuck and seemed to have meaning,
but I had no idea what it meant.
Not long after, I found out that according to the Chinese Zodiac, I was born
in the year of the rabbit and I seem to have some of the traits of that sign.
I thought this was fun, but that was it.
Years later, my husband and I were on vacation in Greece
where I came across a ceramic bowl that had a hare painted on it.
That was the first in a collection of hare and jackrabbit art that fills my home.
I love the exaggerated features of the hare and jackrabbit. Their spirit seems
more formidable than that of a field rabbit or bunny.
Many of the pieces in my collection are small figurines that remind me of how
humans used to place ceremonial totems (often animals) in their homes,
to ask for protection or blessings.
Historically, different cultures assigned people spirit animals that depict the nature of the person.
Could my spirit animal be a rabbit? I don’t know, but I delight in the wondering!
My collection brings me great joy every day.
When I created the print “Seeking Refuge”, I also created
“Totem I” and “Totem II” to watch over her.
Now they will watch over me as the rest of my life story unfolds.
Intaglio by Carol Moore
Many years ago, when I was a young adult, I had a dream about a rabbit image.
It was very primal like a cave drawing. That image really stuck and seemed to have meaning,
but I had no idea what it meant.
Not long after, I found out that according to the Chinese Zodiac, I was born
in the year of the rabbit and I seem to have some of the traits of that sign.
I thought this was fun, but that was it.
Years later, my husband and I were on vacation in Greece
where I came across a ceramic bowl that had a hare painted on it.
That was the first in a collection of hare and jackrabbit art that fills my home.
I love the exaggerated features of the hare and jackrabbit. Their spirit seems
more formidable than that of a field rabbit or bunny.
Many of the pieces in my collection are small figurines that remind me of how
humans used to place ceremonial totems (often animals) in their homes,
to ask for protection or blessings.
Historically, different cultures assigned people spirit animals that depict the nature of the person.
Could my spirit animal be a rabbit? I don’t know, but I delight in the wondering!
My collection brings me great joy every day.
When I created the print “Seeking Refuge”, I also created
“Totem I” and “Totem II” to watch over her.
Now they will watch over me as the rest of my life story unfolds.
Fading
Lithograph by Carol Moore
This print is originally a black and white print titled
“Beautiful Afterlife, Hope.”
It was created soon after the death of my son.
To me, if a flower can be so beautiful after it’s death,
then too, my life can be beautiful after the death of my child.
It is a powerful symbol in my life.
It symbolizes beauty and hope in the face of adversity.
"Beautiful Afterlife-Hope" is about the beautiful spirit of the flower;
it did not need color to convey its meaning,
and I felt that color would only distract from that meaning.
One day, out of curiosity, I decided to apply color that would
reflect the faded color of the original dried flower.
As I suspected, it changed the meaning of the print for me.
It became a different print that I titled “Fading” to represent the “fall season” of my life.
I am at a place in my life where the generation before has passed on, and for me,
this makes time feel more valuable.
I hear the clock ticking and I feel a fade beginning, spurring me on
to search out the splendor of this life in a more soulful way.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
This print is originally a black and white print titled
“Beautiful Afterlife, Hope.”
It was created soon after the death of my son.
To me, if a flower can be so beautiful after it’s death,
then too, my life can be beautiful after the death of my child.
It is a powerful symbol in my life.
It symbolizes beauty and hope in the face of adversity.
"Beautiful Afterlife-Hope" is about the beautiful spirit of the flower;
it did not need color to convey its meaning,
and I felt that color would only distract from that meaning.
One day, out of curiosity, I decided to apply color that would
reflect the faded color of the original dried flower.
As I suspected, it changed the meaning of the print for me.
It became a different print that I titled “Fading” to represent the “fall season” of my life.
I am at a place in my life where the generation before has passed on, and for me,
this makes time feel more valuable.
I hear the clock ticking and I feel a fade beginning, spurring me on
to search out the splendor of this life in a more soulful way.
Totem I
Intaglio by Carol Moore
Both prints “Totem I” and “Totem II” were inspired by two
figurines from my rabbit art collection.
They were crafted by Harmony Kingdom of England by artist Peter Calvesbert.
They are part of NetsUKe collection
and are solid figures cast from marble and resin.
“Totem I” was inspired by the figurine “Harry”
The crouched figurine that inspired “Totem II” is also part of the NetsUKe collection,
but I have been unable to find its name in my research.
The shop where I purchased both figurines is no longer in business.
Both figurines are on display in my Gaia exhibition.
It was fun to bring these figurines “to life” in these prints.
Intaglio by Carol Moore
Both prints “Totem I” and “Totem II” were inspired by two
figurines from my rabbit art collection.
They were crafted by Harmony Kingdom of England by artist Peter Calvesbert.
They are part of NetsUKe collection
and are solid figures cast from marble and resin.
“Totem I” was inspired by the figurine “Harry”
The crouched figurine that inspired “Totem II” is also part of the NetsUKe collection,
but I have been unable to find its name in my research.
The shop where I purchased both figurines is no longer in business.
Both figurines are on display in my Gaia exhibition.
It was fun to bring these figurines “to life” in these prints.
My Mother's Garden
Queen of the Garden
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My mother had seven children, six girls, and one boy.
She had nine grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.
She left behind on this earth a part of her love in each of us.
My Mother loved her garden and her porch.
She and my father would spend long mornings on the porch looking out
at the garden and enjoying each other’s company.
Our large family would often gather for parties on the porch
that spilled out into their beautiful garden; those are wonderful memories!
When my mother grew too old to tend to her own garden, her children and grandchildren
would come together to plant her flowers every Mother’s Day.
My Mom would sit like a queen on the porch
directing us all where to place the plants and flowers.
I can only imagine the joy my mother felt while watching her family
toil in her name to bring her joy.
My mother’s favorite bird was the hummingbird.
She had hummingbird feeders all over her garden,
and I don’t believe that I have ever seen so many hummingbirds flock to
a single feeder as I did in my mother’s garden.
She also had a beautiful collection of hummingbird art in her home.
It is only natural that the hummingbird is the symbol for my mother.
I now keep a feeder in my own garden.
Their visits always make me think of my mom.
My mother’s garden was most beautiful when it was filled with her family.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My mother had seven children, six girls, and one boy.
She had nine grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.
She left behind on this earth a part of her love in each of us.
My Mother loved her garden and her porch.
She and my father would spend long mornings on the porch looking out
at the garden and enjoying each other’s company.
Our large family would often gather for parties on the porch
that spilled out into their beautiful garden; those are wonderful memories!
When my mother grew too old to tend to her own garden, her children and grandchildren
would come together to plant her flowers every Mother’s Day.
My Mom would sit like a queen on the porch
directing us all where to place the plants and flowers.
I can only imagine the joy my mother felt while watching her family
toil in her name to bring her joy.
My mother’s favorite bird was the hummingbird.
She had hummingbird feeders all over her garden,
and I don’t believe that I have ever seen so many hummingbirds flock to
a single feeder as I did in my mother’s garden.
She also had a beautiful collection of hummingbird art in her home.
It is only natural that the hummingbird is the symbol for my mother.
I now keep a feeder in my own garden.
Their visits always make me think of my mom.
My mother’s garden was most beautiful when it was filled with her family.
Humble Beginnings
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My father lived in Mahanoy city, Pennsylvania, the same small
coal mining town as my mom. He was born to Peter and Anna.
Like my mother he was the youngest child.
My grandmother Anna was a widow with three children,
Joe, Flossie, and Helen when she married Peter.
Peter and Anna had two more children Dorothy and my father William.
Like my mother who lost her father when she was seven, so too, my dad lost his father Peter at the age of seven
in a coal mining accident. Anna never remarried, she didn’t have much money, but she had great faith.
The entire family came together to help raise Dorothy and William.
My father was born in 1931 during the great depression and saw the effects of WWII growing up in his small coal mining town.
He served in the Air Force during the Korean war. My Dad was a true Patriot.
When my father first moved to our family home, he planted an oak tree seedling in an old tin coffee can.
That tree grew into a mighty oak tree.
This is how I think of my dad. He was that seedling that grew from humble beginnings and became the
mighty oak that went on to have a family with seven children, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren,
plus a very successful career as a leader in the aerospace community.
The cardinal also represents my dad. My husband and I took over my parent’s time share in Cocoa Beach, Florida
that mom and dad loved. One month after he passed away in 2021, I went to Cocoa and a cardinal landed
on my ocean front balcony; you don’t often see Cardinals on the beach. He stayed a long while and chirped at me!
I would have chosen a hawk or an eagle to symbolize my dad, but he chose a cardinal.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My father lived in Mahanoy city, Pennsylvania, the same small
coal mining town as my mom. He was born to Peter and Anna.
Like my mother he was the youngest child.
My grandmother Anna was a widow with three children,
Joe, Flossie, and Helen when she married Peter.
Peter and Anna had two more children Dorothy and my father William.
Like my mother who lost her father when she was seven, so too, my dad lost his father Peter at the age of seven
in a coal mining accident. Anna never remarried, she didn’t have much money, but she had great faith.
The entire family came together to help raise Dorothy and William.
My father was born in 1931 during the great depression and saw the effects of WWII growing up in his small coal mining town.
He served in the Air Force during the Korean war. My Dad was a true Patriot.
When my father first moved to our family home, he planted an oak tree seedling in an old tin coffee can.
That tree grew into a mighty oak tree.
This is how I think of my dad. He was that seedling that grew from humble beginnings and became the
mighty oak that went on to have a family with seven children, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren,
plus a very successful career as a leader in the aerospace community.
The cardinal also represents my dad. My husband and I took over my parent’s time share in Cocoa Beach, Florida
that mom and dad loved. One month after he passed away in 2021, I went to Cocoa and a cardinal landed
on my ocean front balcony; you don’t often see Cardinals on the beach. He stayed a long while and chirped at me!
I would have chosen a hawk or an eagle to symbolize my dad, but he chose a cardinal.
The Artist in the Garden
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Marie is the oldest of my six siblings.
My mother leaned on her to help with us younger kids
and I shared a room with her as a little girl.
Because of this I feel a very special maternal connection to her.
Marie is so easy to love and is incredibly loving!
She is beautiful, smart, curious, and very creative.
She is a daughter, sister, wife, mother of five, and grandmother of eight.
Marie is a true caretaker of this earth. She is happiest outdoors in nature.
She is a very talented landscape and floral designer.
Her gardens are amazing to behold!
Marie is also a talented artist who enjoys oil painting and sculpting with clay.
This print was inspired by an abstract painting that she gave me that I interpreted to render her figure.
Her soul is so beautiful that I wanted to make her to appear celestial.
The garden that she is standing in was inspired by the beautiful plant specimens that I saw in her gorgeous
and abundant California garden that she designed.
It was not easy for her to be the oldest child in a large family.
Her role came with much expectation and burden.
I hope that she knows how loved she is and how much
our entire family appreciates her in our lives.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Marie is the oldest of my six siblings.
My mother leaned on her to help with us younger kids
and I shared a room with her as a little girl.
Because of this I feel a very special maternal connection to her.
Marie is so easy to love and is incredibly loving!
She is beautiful, smart, curious, and very creative.
She is a daughter, sister, wife, mother of five, and grandmother of eight.
Marie is a true caretaker of this earth. She is happiest outdoors in nature.
She is a very talented landscape and floral designer.
Her gardens are amazing to behold!
Marie is also a talented artist who enjoys oil painting and sculpting with clay.
This print was inspired by an abstract painting that she gave me that I interpreted to render her figure.
Her soul is so beautiful that I wanted to make her to appear celestial.
The garden that she is standing in was inspired by the beautiful plant specimens that I saw in her gorgeous
and abundant California garden that she designed.
It was not easy for her to be the oldest child in a large family.
Her role came with much expectation and burden.
I hope that she knows how loved she is and how much
our entire family appreciates her in our lives.
The Warrior
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Patty is number two of the seven children in my family.
When I was a young girl, she too, always watched out for me
and would often call me “little girl.” I feel a maternal connection to her as well.
Patty was a very spirited and powerful soul.
She was more than smart, she was sharp.
She loved fiercely and never backed down from a confrontation,
Yet, she had a very caring and loving soft side.
She had beautiful long strawberry blonde hair and was very pretty.
In high school she took a botany class that made a huge impression on her and she became
interested in becoming a botanist. I can remember a purse that a friend made for her that was embossed
with a big caladium leaf. She loved it and so did I!
Her career went down a different path, but she always kept and cared for plants.
She loved to cook, that was her creative outlet, and she even started her own catering company in San Diego, California.
Unfortunately, Patty had many health challenges throughout her life, but she was a warrior and faced them head on.
In her later years, she went back to her plants and enjoyed cultivating flower bulbs. Her inner botanist came out.
When I went to visit her, she often sent me home with amaryllis or paper white bulbs.
She passed on too soon in 2019, but somehow, I feel her love more than ever.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Patty is number two of the seven children in my family.
When I was a young girl, she too, always watched out for me
and would often call me “little girl.” I feel a maternal connection to her as well.
Patty was a very spirited and powerful soul.
She was more than smart, she was sharp.
She loved fiercely and never backed down from a confrontation,
Yet, she had a very caring and loving soft side.
She had beautiful long strawberry blonde hair and was very pretty.
In high school she took a botany class that made a huge impression on her and she became
interested in becoming a botanist. I can remember a purse that a friend made for her that was embossed
with a big caladium leaf. She loved it and so did I!
Her career went down a different path, but she always kept and cared for plants.
She loved to cook, that was her creative outlet, and she even started her own catering company in San Diego, California.
Unfortunately, Patty had many health challenges throughout her life, but she was a warrior and faced them head on.
In her later years, she went back to her plants and enjoyed cultivating flower bulbs. Her inner botanist came out.
When I went to visit her, she often sent me home with amaryllis or paper white bulbs.
She passed on too soon in 2019, but somehow, I feel her love more than ever.
The Good Rock
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My brother David is number three of us seven kids.
My mother tried hard to make him a brother, but she continued to have girls!
It could not have been easy to be the only son, the only brother.
But the word “good” proceeded every label he was ever given.
My parents often said that he was a good son. My siblings and I always call him a good brother.
He is a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather, a good uncle, and a good friend.
David is handsome, loving, generous, and incredibly hard working.
He always puts a positive spin on everything.
I often wonder what it is like to be a good man during a time in our history
when being a man is seemingly met with scrutiny.
I have known and met many great men in my life.
They are not perfect, no one is, but they stay firmly planted in their values and convictions.
They stand by their families and their friends.
Like a rock they stay in place despite the many storms.
In this print, the good rock is my brother surrounded by his six sisters (the flowers),
his mother (the hummingbird) and his father (the Cardinal)
in our family’s garden.
I hope that he knows how good he is and how much he is loved!
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My brother David is number three of us seven kids.
My mother tried hard to make him a brother, but she continued to have girls!
It could not have been easy to be the only son, the only brother.
But the word “good” proceeded every label he was ever given.
My parents often said that he was a good son. My siblings and I always call him a good brother.
He is a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather, a good uncle, and a good friend.
David is handsome, loving, generous, and incredibly hard working.
He always puts a positive spin on everything.
I often wonder what it is like to be a good man during a time in our history
when being a man is seemingly met with scrutiny.
I have known and met many great men in my life.
They are not perfect, no one is, but they stay firmly planted in their values and convictions.
They stand by their families and their friends.
Like a rock they stay in place despite the many storms.
In this print, the good rock is my brother surrounded by his six sisters (the flowers),
his mother (the hummingbird) and his father (the Cardinal)
in our family’s garden.
I hope that he knows how good he is and how much he is loved!
Queen of the Fairies
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Karen is number four of the seven and the middle child.
There are fifteen years between the oldest and
the youngest child in my family.
Karen loves quietly and very deeply.
She is thoughtful, considerate, and reserved, like a queen!
I have always told her that she has “mansion taste” because
she appreciates the finer things in life.
She is beautiful, with large blue eyes, blonde hair and is the tallest of us girls.
Karen always knows when to lean in with love.
I remember at family parties how she would take the little girls into my mother’s garden to build fairy houses.
It was so fun to see the little girls flitting around the garden foraging for leaves, flowers, sticks, rocks,
and other materials to build their fairy houses.
Karen would later take the girls back to their little creations to look
for evidence that a fairy visited!
She gave those girls the greatest gift you can give a child, the gift of your time.
She also gave them the gift of imagination and magical memories!
As a mother and grandmother of four she has always known
when she needed to lean in with love.
She leads her family as a great example of love and generosity.
I hope that she knows how much she is respected and loved by her entire family.
She is quite a remarkable woman.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Karen is number four of the seven and the middle child.
There are fifteen years between the oldest and
the youngest child in my family.
Karen loves quietly and very deeply.
She is thoughtful, considerate, and reserved, like a queen!
I have always told her that she has “mansion taste” because
she appreciates the finer things in life.
She is beautiful, with large blue eyes, blonde hair and is the tallest of us girls.
Karen always knows when to lean in with love.
I remember at family parties how she would take the little girls into my mother’s garden to build fairy houses.
It was so fun to see the little girls flitting around the garden foraging for leaves, flowers, sticks, rocks,
and other materials to build their fairy houses.
Karen would later take the girls back to their little creations to look
for evidence that a fairy visited!
She gave those girls the greatest gift you can give a child, the gift of your time.
She also gave them the gift of imagination and magical memories!
As a mother and grandmother of four she has always known
when she needed to lean in with love.
She leads her family as a great example of love and generosity.
I hope that she knows how much she is respected and loved by her entire family.
She is quite a remarkable woman.
The Artist Among Her Creations
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Nancy is number five in line of the seven.
She is extremely beautiful, intelligent, curious, creative, kinetic, and empathic.
She has been blessed with so many gifts in this life.
Nancy is a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.
Nancy and I were born only eighteen months apart and we were childhood playmates.
She used to help me escape from my play pen!
Nancy earned a degree in medical pathology with honors, as well as,
degrees in studio art, photography, and ceramics.
She is a skilled golfer and what our family
affectionately calls her, “the bingo savant!”
Of her many gifts, the one that she most identifies with is that of an artist.
Nancy has created literally thousands of works
of art in her lifetime and she is not done yet!
Because she is so curious, she needs to try it all, stained class, ceramics,
oil painting, watercolor painting, illustration, glass blowing,
fused glass jewelry, collage, card making and much more!
She not only makes art, but she teaches classes as well.
This print is entirely inspired by Nancy’s artwork. The background is from one of her acrylic pour paintings,
her colorful and intricate mandala designs, and her fused glass moon.
I really enjoyed drawing her art and thinking about her while making this print.
Her love is in the making and seeing the joy it brings others. She is loved.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Nancy is number five in line of the seven.
She is extremely beautiful, intelligent, curious, creative, kinetic, and empathic.
She has been blessed with so many gifts in this life.
Nancy is a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.
Nancy and I were born only eighteen months apart and we were childhood playmates.
She used to help me escape from my play pen!
Nancy earned a degree in medical pathology with honors, as well as,
degrees in studio art, photography, and ceramics.
She is a skilled golfer and what our family
affectionately calls her, “the bingo savant!”
Of her many gifts, the one that she most identifies with is that of an artist.
Nancy has created literally thousands of works
of art in her lifetime and she is not done yet!
Because she is so curious, she needs to try it all, stained class, ceramics,
oil painting, watercolor painting, illustration, glass blowing,
fused glass jewelry, collage, card making and much more!
She not only makes art, but she teaches classes as well.
This print is entirely inspired by Nancy’s artwork. The background is from one of her acrylic pour paintings,
her colorful and intricate mandala designs, and her fused glass moon.
I really enjoyed drawing her art and thinking about her while making this print.
Her love is in the making and seeing the joy it brings others. She is loved.
She Always Comes Back
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Sue is number seven in the family line.
She is a force! Beautiful and driven, Sue will accomplish
whatever she sets her mind to in this life!
She has a sunny personality.
She is self-sufficient, intelligent, caring, soulful, and good.
I have always admired what a beautiful friend she is,
not only to her siblings, but also to everyone in her life.
She is a great communicator, emotionally available and extremely loyal.
She is a wonderful and attentive mother who loves with every fiber of her being.
In her career, she works with the homeless
and is dedicated to making a difference.
Sue is no stranger to adversity. Like all humans, she has faced
many challenges in her life. When hardship comes her way, you do not need to worry,
she always comes back, as sure as the sun rises; you can count on it.
In this print, I chose the daffodil to represent her sunny personality.
Sue is a proud breast cancer survivor. After her battle with breast cancer,
she took to her racing bike to heal both emotionally
and physically out in the natural world.
You can see in this print that she is
leaving breast cancer behind in a cloud of pink dust!
Sue has a beautiful soul as do all the members of my “root” family.
I love my family and feel like I have known them forever.
Thank you for being my family.
Lithograph by Carol Moore
My sister Sue is number seven in the family line.
She is a force! Beautiful and driven, Sue will accomplish
whatever she sets her mind to in this life!
She has a sunny personality.
She is self-sufficient, intelligent, caring, soulful, and good.
I have always admired what a beautiful friend she is,
not only to her siblings, but also to everyone in her life.
She is a great communicator, emotionally available and extremely loyal.
She is a wonderful and attentive mother who loves with every fiber of her being.
In her career, she works with the homeless
and is dedicated to making a difference.
Sue is no stranger to adversity. Like all humans, she has faced
many challenges in her life. When hardship comes her way, you do not need to worry,
she always comes back, as sure as the sun rises; you can count on it.
In this print, I chose the daffodil to represent her sunny personality.
Sue is a proud breast cancer survivor. After her battle with breast cancer,
she took to her racing bike to heal both emotionally
and physically out in the natural world.
You can see in this print that she is
leaving breast cancer behind in a cloud of pink dust!
Sue has a beautiful soul as do all the members of my “root” family.
I love my family and feel like I have known them forever.
Thank you for being my family.