This is a painting that I did about 6 years ago with the wonderful poem "There will be Time" written by the Mothering Magazine editor and author Peggy O'Mara. I used to think that people like her were "out of my communication league, or impossible to actually write to" so I never bothered to try writing her to see if she was ok with me making prints of the painting. On Sunday I changed my mind and found her email on the Mothering website— Yesterday after a full day of drawing I arrived home to her lovely response. Below are the emails...
Dear Peggy,
I stumbled upon Mothering Magazine 11 years ago and it was and is such a wonderful resource for me as I struggled to come to grips with my new life as a mother and an artist. Your poem "There will be time” was a part of my daily mantra at that time. Years ago, I did a mixed media collage painting using your poem and it has hung in my home for me to read whenever I needed support and reassurance. Now three kids later (with my youngest already 4), the free time margin is slowly getting wider again and I feel myself breathe deeper again.
I have had a number of requests from people for prints of the painting but because it is as much your art as mine I have declined to copy it. I always assumed it would be impossible to contact you and see if I could get your permission to use the poem (or what it would require/cost for that) Recently though I have realized how small the world has come with the internet as I wrote to another writer and then actually received a response from her. So it has just occurred to me that possibly if I wrote to you and sent you an image of the painting then you would consider this.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this, when you have the time.
Best Regards,
Cathy McMillan
Dear Cathy,
It's raining today and I'm sitting by the fire answering emails before going into the office. Your email is a gift. How beautifully and powerfully you have visually represented my poem. It takes me back to the years when I wrote it, to those early days with my babies. So lovely. And, in fact, there is so much time now.
You have my permission to make prints of this painting with my poem. You have credited me well on the piece. If you ever make A LOT of money from the prints, you can send me some. :)
Love,
Peggy
Her email was a gift to me as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment