This work went through many iterations before completion. Through the process of electroforming, layers of copper were grown on rubber gloves to retain their shape. Once sturdy enough, the layers were then enameled. The pressure from the enamel warped and moved the gloves but they remained whole and intact. The surface contains both my children’s drawings combined with my own drawings. The lower portion is made up of recycled wedding dress fabric containing traditional hand embroidery side by side with the original machine embroidery. 

Motherhood has many aspects. It is messy, chaotic, painful, yet beautiful and rewarding. The gloves represent the chaos, heartache, wonder and tradition that society implicitly places on mothers. Everyday, moms have to choose between what they know needs to be done and what others say they “should” be doing. When one learns to take the gloves along with the built up layers of myths and prejudices off, life gets real. That is when they can truly feel and hold their children.

Read more about Tracy Welling.