Four years ago I was pro-choice. My parents are pro-choice and I was well taught at my liberal arts college that no one should make decisions for me regarding my body. I was very concerned, as I still am, with victims of rape and medically compromised mothers and children of unfit parents. However, while pregnant with my daughter I had an epiphany. At 4 weeks I had my first ultrasound. I could see her move on the screen in response to the wand pushing for a good picture. After a few months I began to notice that she was sensitive to my emotions and music and to my own movements. I began to be able to predict with quite a bit of accuracy how she would react within me in response to how I was feeling or what I was doing. It was at this point that I realized that I was not just carrying a foreign entity, but a true little person. I have always believed in the sanctity of life. I realized that these little beginnings were precious and deserved a chance to live.

In preparations for this show, I found research from both liberal and conservative sources that state that an average of 3600 abortions are performed every day within the United States. I believe this is a universally incredible number – regardless of whether you believe it is 3600 innocent lives lost or 3600 women spared the burden of an unwanted pregnancy.

I have cut out 3600 images of babies to represent the 3600 abortion preformed daily. The babies range in size from between 4” to 1/8” in length. They were collaged into my 3’x4’ acrylic painting for this show.

My daughter retains some of what I recognized as her personality in the womb. She is still very sensitive with – if I may brag – quite an ear for music.