Art That's Fighting Like A Mother

The young man's eyes stare out from the canvas, kind yet arresting. His handsome, coffee-colored face shines in with a placid, beatific expression.

But artist Melodee Strong framed this loving portrait of her son with a grey hoodie and a bucolic suburban background, palpably laying bare her fears that her son could be the next Trayvon Martin. It's an arresting image, and juxtaposed with Strong's joyous children's book illustrations across the room at , it illustrates the duality of her own motherhood. 

This weekend, Strong and scores of other local artists will be exploring the fears, joys, and challenges of motherhood at ColorWheel owner Tammy Ortegon's yearly "Fight Like A Mother" show. 

The show's opening reception runs from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. The reception will also include performances of spoken word, music, and poetry at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.