The two most important women of my life surrendered themselves to photography as their medium. My mother, Barbra, departed this world after a hard fight with breast cancer, and left us with troves of photographs and negatives. Most of them were from her commercial work in fashion, including thousands of negatives and files from magazines and newspaper editorials. But she also left us her artwork– the adventures, quiet moments and behind these scenes of her life. Her world is a bit mythological for me. I think it is much more concrete for my father and sister, as they had more time in her orbit, but I think we all get the same feeling when we dive into one of the files: photographs, mostly of my dad and my sister, and then, when I was born, of my sister and I. We have a dozen photo albums that date from 1980-1989. She was sick for two years when I was 2 so I was less documented. Woe is me.

My sister, Jersey, has always felt like the closest I could ever be to my mother. They are very different people but maybe the strongest continuities between their lives is photography. Well… that, and motherhood. And so, one might say, that Jersey carries her legacy. Quite like my mom, she proved early on that her strength is photographing people. She can really capture the idiosyncrasies of a moment– through a stare, an energy between two people, a tension between her and her subject.

I have always felt so compelled by her portraits, as if I was getting to know someone, deeply, just by seeing their posture and expression. And, just like my mother, Jersey has a captivating presence (anyone who knows her will tell you). Her most distinguished features are the brioche-shaped mass of brown/blonde hair that precariously sits atop her head like a tilted hat; and her big green eyes that make you feel like you might fall in if you look for too long. When she is photographing you, it feels like being translated into a new language or as if you are being gently scanned into aura and energy. She is seeing you.

She has spent the past 10 years immersed in motherhood (to Levi and Bo- 10 and 7yrs) and documenting the fleeting and flickering– in moments of joy, chaos, boredom, pain, transformation. She has captured the experience of witnessing a person become and watching them grow. 

For this Mother’s Day I wanted to share some of my sister's work and where we come from. I have included a little interview and a series of her photographs, ranging from 2003-2026, selected with her help. I have also included some of the family photos from our childhood. I will say no more about it and just let these photographs speak for themselves.

She lives in South Pasadena with her family. She is amazing and takes all the beautiful Mater photos. She is the closest channel I have to my mother and I honor her today and her big eyes that see so vividly. Find more about her here and here.

Love to the Maters out there. <3

AW- What are you working on right now?

JW- I’m deep in the printing phase for an upcoming show in Berlin at the Villa Heike with my Hartford graduate program. The work is from a series called “Field Notes” tracing a fleeting chapter of youth sports through my kids little league and softball seasons and some of the everyday scenes that define that culture. 

AW- What are you reading right now?

JW- I am midway through Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy at the moment. Usually however, I am reading one of your recommendations; most recent inspiring/life-changing were Marlen Haushofer’s The Wall and Valeria Luiselli’s The Lost Children Archive– certain passages that I could imagine myself writing. Is that how you know you’ve connected profoundly with a book? 

AW- What are your most important daily rituals? 

JW- Coffee, stretching, I used to have a very specific 108 sun salutation practice (takes about an hour) – I have been busy with grad school and momming but I gotta bring that back.

AW- What are your favorite Mater products?

JW- The body balm, agave cloth, holy liquid soap are my everyday essentials, although there have been other rotations such as the mater serum, agave cloth and geranium bar. I do have an epiphany with a new bar soap ever so often, the basil bar recently.

AW- How do you like to spend your Sundays?

JW- Usually watching my kids play sports, ha– or playing sports with them. We are an active bunch. I think we’re off to our favorite- Ventura beach- this Mother’s day.

AW- What is the best part of being a mother?

JW- You really do make your favorite people, and then want to be with them, support them, spoil them. 

AW- What is the hardest part of being a mother?

JW- The racket of waking at 6am and making multiple meals (breakfast and lunch); helping to get kids dressed and teeth brushed, and my face washed; putting anything but sweatpants on and be out the door by 7:30am is a real struggle in my life. Sorry if you were hoping for a deeper answer.

AW- What does MATER mean to you?

JW- Wow! It makes me think of you and your labor of love (with emphasis on labor) and the nurturing of bodies. Earthy, floral, essential oils that bring me back to our childhood and growing up, our bathroom in our Trastevere apartment in Rome, roman walls, our father, your daughter– I suppose it can get very abstract in my mind of how I relate to it– seeped in memory and shape. Scent is so powerful. 

AW- Can you share your favorite recipe? (and a picture of it?)

JW- This turmeric chickpea stew, its an alison roman recipe–always feels like a full body reset. We’re obsessed.

Lastly, Jersey’s first photograph of our parents, Shelter Island, 1987

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