What is it about flowers and mothers? The ideal flower is beautiful and every child will think their mother is the most beautiful of all. Flowers and mothers are softly petalled but have strength to stand against the wind. Flowers are gifts given and mothers give us life. Flowers and mothers bring comfort in our sorrows and joy as we celebrate. They both bring emotion and color to our lives without fanfare and are there when we need them most. I intended to paint this as a rose but my brush knew better since it emerged more like a peony. I grow several varieties of peony and this painting was inspired by my favorite pink one. As I stroked color onto my canvas, I wanted to make a soft place to fall, the kind of place mothers are good at creating.