Jo Grishman

Sacred Flow speaks to the relationship of motherhood to mother nature, of the flow to and from the rootedness of the mother as she teaches and learns from her children. It is a journey, a constant flow that is forever in flux. The water/glass flows from the sacred third eye, cascading down the stairs that lead to and from the roots, the earth. The back \\\"shield\\\" has been textured by rubbing the clay on the bark of a tree and is held onto the foundation with nails, speaking to the inevitable pain of the journey. There is a peacefulness on the mothers face though, that expresses the constant pleasure of motherhood.

Healing Waters speaks to the search for healing from emotional and physical pain. The keys and keyholes that reside within us as we seek the answers that will lead to that place of healing. Through time, patience, waiting, listening within and without, hearing without speaking, allowing the tear to flow and trusting that the answers will come when they are ready or we are ready. Her peaceful meditative demeanor and the key in her third eye, represent hope.

One of a series of nine books, Returning deals with the journey of motherhood from conception to letting go to the return to the nest as the relationship between mother and child evolves and changes over time. The stream of consciousness writing along with the found objects help to relay a very personal but universal voyage of motherhood.

We all have secrets, pieces of our past that make us who we are today. Some of these memories and experiences get buried in our bodies on such a deep level that they are difficult to access. They often become us or we become them. These things may keep us shut down or shut off from ourselves and others. We try to look for those windows, or gaps in the framework of the doors to peek inside, or maybe not. In Confronting Closed Doors, she has panels of doors that are nailed on leaving small spaces to peer inside. Her back has a root that travels up her spine and in essence becomes her spine which becomes a hand of sorts to hold her and support her.The sculpture was fired in a pit so the colors of the earth, the natural elements and the fire created her color and brought her to life.