Hall Monitor

Acrylic on Canvas

This painting captures a quiet, deeply personal morning ritual, hair set in rollers, robe loosely tied, a cigarette in hand, and a blue face mask that conceals as much as it reveals. Inspired by the artist’s mother, the figure reflects a familiar presence from childhood: walking her daughters to school before the day had fully begun.

Both ordinary and iconic, the scene honors the intersection of strength and vulnerability that defined those early mornings. The rollers and robe speak to intimacy and routine, while the cigarette and mask introduce complexity, suggesting fatigue, resilience, and the private burdens carried behind the role of caregiver. This work serves as both portrait and memory, preserving a fleeting moment of devotion, sacrifice, and quiet love.