Teenage Mum
van Jennifer Eurell @jennifer_eurell
- 966
- 29
- 5
Introduction
I have created three works from an old photograph of myself and my son Les when he was a baby. The photograph was taken in 1961. The works reference the time I was a teenage mother.
Supplies
All photos are black and white and the same - myself age 18 and baby Les standing against my father's Ford Customline at a camping ground at Lake Illawarra, NSW, Australia. The photo was taken by my mother.
Photo 1: The photo was torn, burnt, and placed on an red acrylic painted background.
Photo 2: I have used handstitching - longish stitches - in a variegated orange DMC embroidery thread to create a net across the photo.
Photo 3: Silver and gold thread and small stitches create two halos.
Teenage Mum
Photo 1: When I was 16 I fell pregnant. The result of a holiday romance where the photo was taken. I have tried to depict how it changed my life. I decided to marry my boyfriend and keep the baby (this was the 1960s and there were a lot of young women made to give up their babies) but basically I had burnt my bridges and left my teenage life behind.
Photo 2: I felt I was caught in a net of domesticity. There were a lot of responsibilities looking after house, husband and children. I don't think I even realised that having a husband might also mean I had someone telling me what I could and could not do. After two more children the marriage failed and husband and I went our separate ways.
Photo 3: Both baby and I survived. He too was a troublesome teenager - so we wear our halos with pride but perhaps I should have made them a bit tarnished! We are still on good terms and he is now a ships captain.
5 opmerkingen
Does anyone know why my portrait photographs are being stretched out to landscape format?
Congratulations, @jennifer_eurell. Thank you for sharing the story behind this photograph. I really like how you’ve enriched the image with embroidery—it gives it a very special character.
Regarding the image format you mentioned, please try editing your project and reuploading the photos in vertical format. If they still appear in landscape, let me know, and we’ll look into what might be causing the issue.
I really liked your project, Jennifer! Beautiful work. And thank you so much for sharing your story with us <3
I really appreciate the raw honesty in your project! Have you considered adding more about the support systems that helped you? It could inspire others facing similar challenges.
@leep38447 Basically there was no government financial support in Australia for single mothers at the time unless they were widowed. The single parent payment was not introduced until 1973. I could not manage rent, childcare and living costs on the wage I was getting for full time work as women only got about 2/3 of a mans wage. Eventually myself and three sons went back to live with my parents. Five years later I married my current husband who has brought up my children. I have been very fortunate to have the support of parents and husband.
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