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[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]
June 21st, 2026
Interview with Canadian writer and artist, Anna Nike Leskowsky, about the painting, Mother With the Royal Earring, and essay, "Connecting Generations of Women in Art."
What are some interesting or important aspects of this work, how it came to be, or what it means, that you want people to know?
I painted a portrait of my mother with a young daughter on the boat in the sea, based on fantasy. In this painting, my mother is wearing a deep green dress from the bygone era. The little girl’s image resembles my daughter when she was about two years old. She sleeps peacefully, surrounded by the mystical seascape. My mother’s image is remarkably youthful. She is wearing an earring “borrowed” from Diana, Princess of Wales jewelry collection, as a symbol of the royalty of motherhood.
The painting titled Mother with the Royal Earring is a tribute to my mother who had always been my main emotional support before she passed away in 2010. Her passing never stopped me from continuing conversations with her through art and poetry.
Every year on Mother’s Day, which was celebrated in Poland on May 26th, I remember my mother as a woman who provided me with the wisdom of how to navigate through my motherhood, teaching career, and various artistic endeavors.
How does your city / region and your natural surroundings influence this creative work, and your artistic practice as a whole?
The process of immigrating to Canada from Poland and settling in Toronto in 1990 was a challenging time in my life. The city rich in art galleries, libraries, and bookstores provided me with safe, uplifting experiences that help me to feel confident. I was able to secure a satisfying job as an elementary school teacher, enriched by creativity as a writer and painter.
A year ago, The Secret Door, a Toronto based online critical arts and culture publication, featured Mother with the Royal Earring along with my first-person essay ‘Connecting Generations of Women through Art.’ This year, I would like to acknowledge my mother’s invaluable role she played in my life by sharing the image of her portrait and leaving the link to this publication in the hope that all mothers could be celebrated every day of the year.
Read the Article & View the Painting in The Secret Door:
https://www.thesecretdoor.ca/post/connecting-generations-of-women-through-art
Keywords: mothers, tribute, Canada, Poland
Genres: Visual Art, Creative Nonfiction
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