Art, Community and Motherhood: An Interview with Alice (Mama on Palette)
Zoe Ang Jia Wei, 8 March 2023
For most of us, International Women’s Day falls annually on the 8th of March, reminding us to celebrate and recognise the achievements of the women around us. Yet, for Alice, whose work often involves championing women’s empowerment, every day is International Women’s Day.
As the founder of Mama on Palette, Alice leads a community of mothers who are passionate about their family, the community and of course, art. Anchoring on the healing power of art and its positive impact on parenting, Mama on Palette organises events throughout the year to raise awareness for mothers’ mental wellness, and to encourage mothers to boldly pursue their art dreams. On an informal level, it is also a space for mothers to build a support system of like-minded friends, bonding through their shared love of art and their children – including organising playdates together.
Since she founded the Mama on Palette community in April 2018, Alice has been involved in a variety of events, talks and workshops. Yet, out of all the events she has since been a part of, Alice shared that her proudest moment was starting the “Mother Art Healing” exhibition, which happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a community, we used to bond through lots of offline events, workshops, playdates, but the pandemic hit us hard and discontinued many engagements. Many mothers told me they started painting during the Circuit Breaker, and when they showed me their artworks, I was stunned - they were beautiful! Each piece carries a story. So I decided to create an occasion where all the mothers' artworks can be put together for more people to appreciate them, read their stories, and be inspired to explore art themselves.”
This initial spark of an idea eventually culminated in an exhibition featured at multiple libraries. The exhibition first featured at the Central Library showcased 30 artworks contributed by 8 members of the Mama on Palette community. However, as the event went on, more and more people started joining in. It eventually reached a peak of over 100 pieces of artwork by 28 community members at the exhibition featured at library@orchard. It is truly amazing and inspiring to learn about how art can bring people together, especially during a difficult period of isolation and disconnectedness brought about by the Circuit Breaker. This year, Mama on Palette is bringing the 3rd edition of 'Mother Art Healing' exhibition on 11 May - 15 June to Design Orchard Retail Showcase under the theme of 'I am a Mother!', where 25 artists are invited to showcase their talent through a self-portrait, and celebrate motherhood and art.
In line with the theme for International Women’s Day 2023: #EmbraceEquity, I was curious to find out what this meant personally for Alice and the Mama on Palette community as a whole. Interestingly, Alice shared that the Mama on Palette community usually participates in International Women’s Day by rolling out a special feature to discover the community members’ perspective about the theme of the year. For 2023’s theme of #EmbraceEquity, the community will be focusing on the issue of diversity and inclusion in the art industry.
As for Alice, International Women’s Day is about the celebration of self-expression and authenticity through art.
“#EmbraceEquity means being open minded and truly respecting the differences among us without any prejudice, regardless of man or woman, colours or races. It is not easy. Even in the art space, creators are sometimes labelled by their academic institutions, awards and social status instead of appreciating the beauty or the meaning behind their works. I encountered more than once that people think ‘mother artists’ are equal to amateur hobbyists, and their artworks are ‘not professional’. It is totally untrue! Many of our community members are super talented, capable and extremely creative. You will be totally blown away by their artworks if you ever come down to our exhibition,” says Alice.
At the same time, it is also about building community and being a positive influence on one another.
“Mothers are the core pillars of their households. If a certain stereotype or tags on mothers can be removed, it will naturally influence the next generation. I feel grateful that I have built this community to share with like-minded mothers. Only when we encourage each other along the way, we can inspire our family members and friends to pursue their dreams and passions too, without feeling worried of being judged.”
At the end of our conversation, I asked Alice to share her most valuable piece of advice for women, especially mothers who are trying to establish their careers or strive for gender equality. What Alice shared was poignant and essentially summarised the key takeaways of our conversation.
“Your voice matters. There's always a way to make changes with a strong supporting system. Seek that community so you can fight together. Make authentic connections, and truly explore how women/mothers can support each other. You won't feel lonely anymore.”