This project was inspired by my grandmother - who has been a huge inspiration in my journey as an artist and development as a person . She was a very significant part of my childhood. In India, she lived in ‘ khumbar wada’- which translates to potter’s colony. It is the largest community of potters in Mumbai, and most famous for local crafts. A lot my my artwork today is a way to honor my artisan heritage and roots. My grandma also taught me so much about resilience and encouraged me to pursue my passions.
My grandmother made incredible sacrifices for my mother to have the chance to become a doctor. Her commitment to education despite only completing elementary school has transferred to my mother, and to me. Even in her 60s she was trying to learn how to read and write English, and truly was someone who believed anything was possible with enough determination.
I realized many of the women in my life shared similar deep connections with their grandmother.
This project is meant to honor the women that shaped us and their stories.
Starting from top left corner:
Mary Michele Cona Smeraldi/ Lydia Teresa Ramos Lopez
ON Mary's Impact:
"Every memory I have of her helped me grow into the woman I am today, including the day she passed. Her passing was sudden and unexpected, I wasn't prepared for it to happen. Her passing taught me that life is fleeting, it can change in an instant with no warning signs. It taught me to take the time to tell your loved ones you love them, learn their stories, make time for the people you love. Her passing showed me that you never know how many days you have left with that person or when the last time you see them will be. She left me with a life lesson I will never forget"
ON Lydia's Impact :
"Her resilience has molded me into a diligent worker, navigating through adversity that prompted swift growth and an early grasp of mature challenges. On days when things don't go well or when I'm on the verge of surrender, I invariably reflect on the sacrifices my grandmother made for me. It fuels my determination to repay her generosity tenfold and shapes the way I approach life's hurdles" - Analisa Lopez
Analisa and Mary
Analisa and Lydia
Alyce Lopez
"My grandmother is a resilient warrior, firmly clutching onto her cultural roots and passing them down with unwavering pride and boundless love."
"Her resilience has molded me into a diligent worker, navigating through adversity that prompted swift growth and an early grasp of mature challenges. On days when things don't go well or when I'm on the verge of surrender, I invariably reflect on the sacrifices my grandmother made for me. It fuels my determination to repay her generosity tenfold and shapes the way I approach life's hurdles" - Atiana Salazar
Atiana and Alyce
Atiana and Alyce
Mary Lou Carlton
"My grandmother has always taught me to believe in myself. Her inner light connects with mine in a way that helped me understand spirituality at a young age. She was raised by Catholic nuns and went through a lot in her life but she has always been a beacon of goodness and levity in my life. She encourages my raw self expression, creativity, wanderlust and trust in the universe. She is truly my angel."
" I am more free and brave and experienced thanks to her influence. I wouldn’t have take the leaps that I have in life if she didn’t tell me to trust myself and follow my heart to happiness" - Alyssa Lindaas
Alyssa and Mary Lou
Mary's nun figurine collection
Margaret (Margarita) Salvani
On Life Lessons:
Put your family first / take care of each other / check in with each other -To have patience -To have a sense of humor in all types of situations
Understanding that life has many challenges but it always gets better and it's a constant cycle of good and bad -
To be appreciative of what you have, while you have it and don't take any person or situation you are in for granted -
To always say I love you -Being a hard worker and making tough sacrifices for the sake of your family/children
"Her empathy, selflessness, and caring personality very much so have influenced who I am. I don't think I was aware of how similar we were until she recently passed. I never took the time to deeply reflect and notice how many characteristics and personality traits we shared. I always knew she was a core part of my life especially because of my upbringing , I spent a majority of my childhood with her and my grandpa while my parents worked, and we were really close my entire life. I looked at her as a second mother, and I was blessed that she lived 10 minutes away from me" - Francesca Salvani
Margarita and Francesca
Margarita
Adina Manzoni Giovannitti
" Gentleness, open arms, comfort, wisdom and seeming to have the answers to everything "
"Growing up, it was so important to my family that we know we always have each other. Now I practice that in raising my own daughter. Family is everything!" - Gina Konnick
"My 91 year-old Gram has been the backbone of our family and a true matriarch. Raised 7 children, married for 50 years until her husband passed, and continuing to be a guiding light in our family"
"I approach everything I do with kindness, grace, compassion, and love - all the things my Gram does. She shaped me into who I am" - Nicole Mogar
Gina Adina and Nicole
Nicole Adina and Gina
Julia Ramirez
"She is a matriarch in every sense of the word. The first to leave her hometown of Ponce and move to the Lower East Side, Loisaida. She left her whole family and even some of her children behind. She began a new life, yet still held her roots so closely. Her sisters and children all followed behind and migrated to the LES over time as well. Because of these deep familial and community connections, she never felt she needed to learn English in the 60+ years she has lived here"
"Watching my grandmother, mi abuela, take on so much as a child taught me a lot about strength and what we can handle as women. She had 2 husbands and 10 children, yet even as she was aging, everyone continued to rely on her. She sold traditional Puerto Rican pasteles and coquito to her neighbors during her 70s and well into her 80s, often having my cousins and I help her out when I was as young as 3 years old. The memories I have in her home were of strength and pride in getting things done and caring for each other. Today, I work in the very same community, caring for my friends and neighbors through a lens of holistic wellness" - Kiera Del Vecchio
Juila, Kiera's mother and Kiera
Julia and Kiera
Doris Ofori
"My grandmother was an OG city girl and contributed a lot to who I am today. I miss her dearly but I know she’s guiding my daily decisions "
"My grandmother barely made it through middle school but raised 10 kids and over 20 grandkids. She was the center of our family. Kept us grounded and emphasized the importance of women independence. I think that’s why the women in my family are so successful because even though my grandma didn’t have an education, she preached the importance of education and being able to do what you want, when you want" - Sika Richardson
Dr. Quamrun Nahar Rahman
"It's an honor to learn more of who my Dadi was at her core. She worked as a scientist in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Abu Dhabi, UAE. She mentored hundreds of students. Teaching them math and science. She received her BSc and MSc degrees from Dhaka University. Her PhD from Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. Uppsala University is where she received her Postdoctoral in Sweden. I continue to discover pieces of myself through her love of foods, languages, and traveling. My love of learning from and about different cultures is an echo of hers.
Pick’s disease is a type of dementia similar to Alzheimer’s. Though they share many causes and symptoms there are some key differences. These include the following: Pick’s disease is often diagnosed earlier in life, behavior problems happen earlier on, no hallucinations or delusions, have a harder time making sense of their words or words of others, and more. Though it is far less common. The part of the brain Pick’s disease affects controls personality, emotions, behavior, speech, and language. This type of disorder is known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD) or frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). "
Disabled Love: An Unspoken Thing
Something I have been blessed to have witnessed in my childhood. to share a deep connection with someone who cannot say a word back.
Never thought l'd love someone I barely remember as much as i do with my Dadi. But that's because i remember who she was with me after she had gotten sick.
Though i don't remember her voice, laugh, or the way she told stories. I remember going on walks, feeding her,, and reading books to her. I can't imagine what my childhood would have been like without her living with us. the Sunday family dinners we shared every week.
Pick’s disease took away so much slowly but at the same time so fast. But even though her memories faded I am blessed to have so many that I can reminisce on. Her memory lives on through mine. I'm happy I got to spend the time I got with her and that i was with her at the very end. I remember when there was no information of her condition. That has changed now.
Thank you for reading their stories and about their wisdom passed down.
