[A letter written to a local artist whom I discovered in the dining room of my husband's aunt, Michelene. I used her framed print in my second birth experience and a few weeks after I delivered she handed me a rolled up copy given to me by the artist, Frank. I recently met Frank and his wife, Tammy and found them to be settling and kind people. They have a lovely studio they both work out of near their quaint and cozy cabin-house in Winthrop Harbor. I left there feeling like I could be friends with them. Below is a thank you letter I sent them with some story mingled in of my birth preparation I did before my second birth.]
May 5, 2009
Dear Frank and Tammy–
This is a very overdue thank you letter. My name is Shanel Martens and I am the niece of Michelene R. Last fall, after my daughter Scarlet was born, you gave me an extraordinary piece of art…the baby birds in the nest, faces upturned, crying out for food from their mother.
This painting has profoundly affected me and ministered to a deep and hurting place inside of me. I had a traumatic birth experience with my first daughter. Throughout my second pregnancy I did much work in processing, grieving, going back and feeling all that I lost. Part of my process was “gathering my resources” so that when it came time to birth again, I would not be so alone. I put together this birth room kit. Kind of silly to some, but to me it was a necessity. I had everything from calming music, mint and rose oil aromatherapy, cue cards for my birth coaches to remind me of who I am and the cloud of friends and women who love and support me. I had a mother blessing shower instead of a baby shower. Each woman came with a beautiful piece of fabric with a word of symbolism attached in order to swaddle me in a way with the simple knowledge that they were close to me holding me up, caring for me. They sewed all the pieces of fabric together into a shawl/lap blanket. I brought this with me as well. And I brought the framed painting of the birds from the wall in Michelene’s home. It was one of the few things I actually saw and used in the birth. The birds were me in many ways…crying out, completely dependent on Mother God to care for me as I birthed. There is this powerful posture portrayed in those little birds faces. I could see myself there.
The birth was a powerfully redeeming experience of the first. All my “cries” prior to the birth were fed to me from the beak of Mother God. In some ways, I feel the painting was a prophetic image of God’s complete and utter provision and presence to me. He came to me with an abundance of all I needed and wanted.
When Michelene gave me the print of the blessed birds, I wept. What a treasure! For always, I will look upon those birds as an Ebenezer of sorts, knowing them to be not only a reminder of my frailty, my desperation in a time of great need but also a memorial of bountiful provision, deep love and kindness and the joy of being ransomed.
I thank you for your gift.
It means a great deal to me.
You have blessed me.
With fondness,
Shanel Martens