A piece created to celebrate the memory of my Mother. Hand drawn with Ink and tinted with liquid ink, symbolic images are used to depict the close relationship the two of us shared. The owl is her wisdom, all she taught me, the rose with a thorn is representation of a great loss. The group of symbols along her throat area is a broken heart and the word Mom. Feather is a symbol of nurturing, family, while the raven represents loss..... the many ravens are my parents and other love ones who have gone from the family. The Butterfly is thought to take messages to love ones in Heaven, I have three Butterflies that represents my family, first growing up with my parents , now my family with myself and two children. The Dragonfly has two pairs of wing, one set of wings bring the Dragonfly to you with messages from love ones in Heaven, the other set of wings take your message back to them. The young girl is me with a likeness of my Mother, how she nurtured and made me who I am. Feathers on the Heavenly wings on the back is representation that my Mother has earned her place in the heavens. the Lotus Flower is the symbol of purity, enlightenment, rebirth. The Title sums it up, I am Because You Were.