The idea of a “Family Affair” goes beyond the imagery to capture the very essence of Purth’s current process. The presence of her children has transformed her approach to painting, shifting from the solitary, all-night sessions of her earlier career to a more fluid, adaptive rhythm. Their involvement, whether by simply being there or adding their own playful touches, informs the work in surprising ways, adding layers of spontaneity and discovery.

With themes of protection, generational trauma, and natural elements like birch bark and rosehips, the mural becomes a metaphor for the unseen bonds of family. In this exchange, Faring Purth discusses her creative process, the influence of motherhood, and the ways in which her children contribute to her evolving artistic expression.

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BSA: In the past, when sending dispatches from towns near and afar you’ve brought up your mother in passing, a sweet reference, something sweet and brief. This time you are a mother, and your kids are in situ while you paint, and they also paint. How does it feel to have them with you while doing your craft?

Faring Purth: Well, I’ll be honest and say the formal, strenuous, and hyper-focused work is nearly never accomplished with my son and daughter present. The role of Mothering tiny ones is an all-consuming task, as is painting large-scale murals. Neither want you to divert your gaze. But I’ll also say, that becoming a mother has facilitated a level of adaptation and fluidity I never dreamt possible. It really is like getting your Doctorate degree in organized chaos.

The pressure, for me, lead to surrender and invaluable growth… being able to do all I can when I can, allowing my hours of work to adjust to a thousand variables, including sleepless nights, tiny sniffling noses, and the simple act of being barefooted in the grass with them. All of these countless adjustments impact the work enormously. I miss my all-nighters in the studio but they’ll be back, I’m sure. For now, I love the spontaneous bursts of progress I make with the kids, the “beginner’s mind” they undoubtedly inspire, the many ways of involving them, and the support that allows me the ability to still be alone and painting when I need to be.

BSA: “Birch Bark and Rosehips”: What comes to mind?

Faring Purth: While creating the piece, many experiences unfolded in my own life concerning things like facing generational traumas, coming to terms with past abuse, and protecting myself and the kids in some very literal and some abstract ways.

BSA: This mural seems to be a family portrait. A young mother and her children?

Faring Purth: The reflections are almost never literal. Although I am often surprised at how unintentionally reflective they are. I’d like to believe many artists share that playful relationship with the work.

BSA: Children are often a constant presence in your work. Why?

Faring Purth: Another very honest statement is the work is often a surprise, even to me. I won’t deny that I am inspired by many things but much of it remains like kneading through a mystery, over and over. I will say the oddity and poetry of my own life began early on. I remember the depths of my perceptions at a young age and witness it now in my children. It has my attention often… and reverence.

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