Juror's Choice in SEC4P Women by Women exhibition

“We Take Too Much From Mothers” (2022) by Rachel Nixon.

I’m delighted that my image “We Take Too Much From Mothers” has been selected as Juror’s Choice in the Southeast Center for Photography’s Women by Women exhibition.

The exhibition was juried by renowned photographer, author and educator, Laurie Klein. It opens on Friday March 3rd at the gallery in Greenville, South Carolina.

“We Take Too Much From Mothers” is a digital collage from my ongoing series “The Garden of Maggie Victoria”, which honours the legacy of my great-grandmother, who died at an early age in 1943 and was forgotten within the family after her death.

I only got to know her in 2022 while combing through our extensive family archives. My series combines archive photos, letters and documents along with my own contemporary images in my attempt to connect with Maggie Victoria across the miles and the decades.

This image includes an extract from a letter sent by "Uncle John" to my grandmother of the tragic early death of Maggie Victoria - his sister. He wrote: "I am afraid my Dear that we take too much from mothers, take too much for granted and allow them to work too hard."

"Uncle John" was actually named William and had moved to Australia decades earlier, but was a regular correspondent with his sister and her children in Lancashire, England.

Maggie Victoria died in May 1943 and my grandmother's letter letting Uncle John know reached him only in mid-July. His reply, written immediately, took several more months to arrive from Australia, intercepted by the censor, as were all letters at the time.

In the analogue image by my great-grandfather Frank, Maggie Victoria appears to be taking care of everyone, including her grown children and her husband, whose propped-up feet are seen bottom right. I set her apart to draw attention to her for once, and to foreshadow her imminent absence, along with some sunny yet dark flowers.