Parenthood profoundly transforms the dynamic between partners, stretching every aspect of the relationship—and yourself—to accommodate a new life. This shift is rarely easy or graceful. Cracks inevitably form as you adapt and grow together, often under the strain of sleep deprivation, loss of personal time, and countless other demands. Even the brain itself changes in both parents, adding to the complexity.

One late afternoon, as my family walked along the beach, I noticed how our shadows stretched and shifted across the sand and water. At times, they merged into one, forming a single, unified shape. Other times, as we moved apart, they fragmented, becoming elongated and unrecognizable. It felt like a metaphor for raising a child—being so close that you feel like one, then stretching and shifting into something unfamiliar as you grow and adapt.

These Shadow Portraits are part of a new branch in my Labor of Love series. While the physical demands of parenting have eased with time, the emotional intensity remains. In creating these pieces, I pinched, stretched, and folded slabs of clay, embracing the possibility of warping, cracking, and breaking. Some slabs were pressed into the walls outside my studio, capturing the rough textures and spaces between the bricks. These surfaces became canvases for painting shadows, reflecting the emotions and evolving dynamics of connection and individuality within the ever-changing fabric of family life.