An Ode to Motherhood ~ By Amelia Rushforth

AN ODE TO MOTHERHOOD

Motherhood lives in fragments — in the in-between moments, the questions without answers, the things we only realise once they’ve passed.

In our series ‘An Ode to Motherhood’, we invited mothers and creatives we deeply admire to each share a personal work that reflects their own version of that experience — not polished or perfected, but real.

In this piece, photographer Amelia Rushforth reflects on the often unseen labour of motherhood — and the importance of turning that recognition inward. Through a gesture both simple and powerful, she reclaims Mother’s Day as a moment not just for giving, but for being acknowledged, celebrated, and enough.

“I thought about what motherhood means to me, and it always feels like too much to put into words.

So, l thought about what Mother's Day should really mean.I always ask my girls to write me a card on Mother's Day.

I think as mothers we are always under-celebrated.

All too often, we are going about doing the running around, the heavy mental load, the continuous doing for others and very rarely being told what a momentous job we are doing.

Society just expects it.We are constantly critical of ourselves, rather than kind, and always wondering whether we are doing enough.

So when Kirstin Ash asked me to contribute something for Mother’s Day, l thought i'm just going to ask my kids to make something to celebrate me!

I hope you [all mother figures] all do the same, because we give so much and not very often do we pat ourselves on the back and say, ‘you're doing okay, and that is more than enough.’”

- Amelia Rushforth