Over the Thanksgiving weekend, our family visited a new museum for us called Legion Of Honor in San Francisco. The special exhibition was on Mary Cassatt, an American Impressionist painter of the early 20th century who lived and painted mainly in Paris.
First of all, this museum was beautiful and had a grand presence with the manicured lawn on both sides and an elaborate archway to walk through. To the current exhibition, you had to walk down these stairs to the lower level to other artwork rooms, special exhibition gallery, gift shop, and café.
I was thrilled to see this exhibition in town for a limited time from October 2024 to January 2025, so I had to coax my family to join me. Since high school, I have always admired her colorful and warm paintings revolving around motherhood’s tender moments bathing, holding, kissing, or hugging her child. She portrayed the domestic world of caretaking that is a universal experience but was not represented in the art world.
Below are some of her paintings:
The following is the context of how her work initially struck a chord in my heart as a teenager. I was that kid who pined for motherly bonding. lol. Although I was extremely close to my mom, her days were preoccupied with working and helping my dad with his business. Having her full attention was my wish, but she worked hard and also suffered from chronic fatigue and various illnesses that wreaked havoc on my emotions growing up. I used to fantasize that my mom could have slow days where we could leisurely plan or spontaneously go out together: eating out, sitting around doing nothing, taking walks, or go shopping together. I wanted to do this all without the hassles of daily pressures of immigrants life and health concerns.
Something was missing. I felt the bond was too irrationally desired by me, because I missed out on pivotal bonding moments with her growing up as a baby. When i was one month old, I was sent off to live my maternal family and grandmother for four years. My parents were relocating from Hawaii to California, and there was no financial stability and reliable childcare while they both had to work, so they made the difficult decision to work hard for 4 years and to reunite with me later.
In those for years, they bought a house. One day, this pretty stranger showed up in Korea with a suitcase full of toys, clothes, American chocolate, and a homemade blanket. Then, a month later, unbeknownst to me, I was on the other line of the security rope at the airport with my mom holding my hand: my maternal family and grandmother stood waving to me on the other side of the rope. I’ve never been separated from my grandmother and now to be a continent apart! I was now planted in America with 2 strangers. Ok, so that’s the back story of my instant connection with Cassatt at age 16.
It was wonderful to see and experience the exhibit with my family and to hold my little girl’s hand as we walked around looking at the paintings. My heart leaped knowing that my life came full circle in pining for motherly love and now having the opportunity to shower love on my two kids to fill that hole in my heart. Hahahaha, as you can tell, it was a cathartic moment for me. Life is demanding as a homeschooling mother, especially with one who has a chronic health condition, but it is that much more wonderful when we have the quiet moments of a mundane day and time to bond over a museum outing and drive home with kid’s music playlist thumping in the background. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
p.s. My peeps gave mediocre reviews about the exhibit, but they bore through it because I was so excited about it. My kids were more eager to pick up dinner at Raising Cane’s for chicken strips afterwards. This chain is fairly new to the bay area and open locations are scarce.
14 responses to “Mary Cassatt exhibition at Legion of Honor, SF. Reflection about me and her art”
This looks like a wonderful family outing. The paintings are really beautiful, too. Thanks for sharing your background story and your connection to this artist’s paintings. Glad you and the family had such a good time. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your experience of the Mary Cassatt exhibition, Esther, and something of your own childhood that led you to become the mother you are today. (I’ve always been drawn to Cassatt’s work.)
I’m so glad you are drawn to Cassatt’s work, too! It was special to see the paintings with my family, although there was a lot of grumbling until we were done with the visit. Lol.
Thank you for your sweet comment! I feel blessed to be able to spend a lot of time with my children and it heals those old wounds.
You’re welcome, Esther.
“My heart leaped knowing that my life came full circle in pining for motherly love and now having the opportunity to shower love on my two kids to fill that hole in my heart.” ~ Esther
I had an epiphany around the age of 38 that my life came full circle. Though my full circle was quite different than yours, I know that feeling and when that happens it is wild and rare!
Your writing here today, Esther, is a wonderful gift that I hope you will continue to be inspired to write in this depth. The photo selection, the gallery artwork and the words you chose to share really was heartfelt by me.
… not just a family day at the museum, this was much much more! ❤️
TD, I read your comments many times and was so touched by it. Thank you for your encouragement of my writing. It’s something I do want to pursue, but now is not an ideal time for me, unless God calls me to do it. But your comment was like music to my soul.
You’re right… the experience I had was like an epiphany. I feel so grateful for each moment and with Ellis having gotten sick so much in the past few months, it’s teaching our family to live and enjoy life. If that means staying home and enjoying quiet, so be it. That’s enjoying life for us!
What was your epiphany? Those moments are those “aha” life moments.
TD, I hope you have a lovely first weekend of December! Sending our love to Lucy.
Thank you for sharing your personal history. I can’t even imagine.
The art exhibit looks amazing! I would have “lovingly forced” my family to go see it too! 💖
My kids laughed at your comment of “lovingly forced.” That’s what I did. Lol
Thank you for your sweet comment, friend! It was wild growing up in America and feeling so alone and scared with 2 people who thought I would automatically love them because they’re my parents. Yep, I had some therapy about this and probably need more. Lol
Cassatt is one of my favorites; “Child in a Straw Hat” was one of the first paintings that I connected with on an emotional level. It’s wonderful that you were able to attend this exhibit; knowing a little of your background certainly gave your account of it a special feel. I smiled at your visit to Raising Cane’s, too. There’s one not far from me, and it sure is a Texas/Louisiana staple!
You reminded me of that beauitful painting! “Child in a straw hat” is beautiful with the soft colors and the expression on the child’s face. That painting was not in the exhibit, although it would’ve been a treat to see it in real life.
Thank you for your lovely comment! I’m glad my experience came through in my writing.
The Raising Cane’s was the highlight of the outing! I wish we didn’t eat at the museum, because the food was expensive with small portions. I’m lactose intolerant and my sandwich had a big mozzarella ball on top of the marinated finial slice. Yeah, raising Cane’s was much better tasting! My kids were to excited to hear that you knew about it.
I love her, and you, and your family.
Thank you, Cindy!! You are always so kind and loving. I’m lucky to have you as my blogging friend.
Beautiful family pic. Very interesting you sharing your personal history. I like. I am emotionally. The photo selection, the gallery artwork and the words you chose. God bless you,my dear friend Esther 🙏
Thanks for sharing your childhood history and how your roots ended up as a lifelong affection for this painter. I can see the attraction to Cassatt’s artwork. I like all of these paintings Esther. I have seen one of Cassatt’s paintings as part of the Detroit Institute of Arts “Inside/Out” program where they take some of their famous paintings at the art museum and make weatherproofed copies and put them in various parks around the tri-county area. I saw “In the Garden” by Mary Cassatt and several other paintings by other artists at Dingell Park last year.