As an only child, I have a very intimate and wonderful relationship with my mother. She often poses for me when I need reference for my paintings, but I have never actually painted a portrait of her alone. One of the reasons is that she’s been sick for a long time, suffering from skin disease, and would not have been very comfortable exposing that side of her. Miraculously, in recent years, after undergoing treatment, her skin healed and she became much healthier. Even with this turnaround in her health, she still wears long-sleeve shirts to cover up her scars, while living and working in southern California. I decided to paint this portrait of her in the light and without any impurities as I have and will always see her. This painting relates to my ongoing project exploring ancestry, and relationships between women.