A Mothers Vigil

Acrylic on Canvas, 20" x 24"

Artist Carolyn Wolf

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A Mother’s Vigil is a quiet lament for motherhood lived in uncertainty. The painting centers on a mother watching over her child, gripped by fear for a future she cannot control. Even in moments of stillness, her love is shadowed by the awareness that the world beyond her reach may not be gentle, fair, or safe.

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This work holds the ache of loving a child while knowing that forces—unseen yet deeply felt—can intrude at any moment. It speaks to the sorrow of a mother who loves fiercely, yet lives with the constant awareness that her child’s safety, dignity, or future could be questioned, threatened, or taken. Her grief exists alongside devotion for what has not yet happened, but already feels possible.

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The painting mourns the invisible weight carried by mothers who live beneath looming systems of power and uncertainty—forces that do not need to be present to be felt. It reflects the exhaustion of remaining tender while staying alert, of nurturing love while bracing for loss, harm, or separation. The birds serve as instinctive warnings, quiet signals from nature that something unsettled stirs just beyond the edges of safety.

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At its core, A Mother’s Vigil reveals maternal love as exposure. To love a child is to live with one’s heart outside the body—unprotected and perpetually vulnerable. The work asks a quiet but devastating question: What kind of world are we preparing our children for—and who is allowed to feel safe within it?

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A Mother’s Vigil is available for purchase here on the website for $2,300. This painting is a reflection of our times, capturing the quiet fears and worries that many carry in the world today. Sitting with the work, you can feel the care, love, and concern of a mother watching over her child, while also sensing the weight of uncertainty surrounding them. A Mother’s Vigil is both beautiful and thoughtful—a piece that invites reflection, connection, and remembrance, and would make a meaningful addition to any collection.

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