I first became a mother 30 years ago and, as I took on the role, I began to assume the identity expected of me by society. I became a young mother, a divorced mother, a single mother, a remarried mother, a working mother and, eventually, a mother of eight.

I had lots of labels.

But I only ever wanted to be a ‘good mother’.

I cooked healthy dinners, read bedtime stories, bought and laundered mountains of clothing, spent hours each week scrubbing and shampooing children, listened to music practice, made sure everyone was in the right place at the right time (and remembered to collect them afterwards!).

Every minute of my life was spent fulfilling the mother role. The invisible roles. Doing things that ‘just happen’. The things that are only noticed when they don’t happen or are judged ‘below standard’.

As my children grew older and began to live their own lives, my assumed identity began to erode. Like a lizard shedding its skin, the roles began to peel away. 

What will be left behind? A butterfly about to soar – or the shrivelled husk of a dried and spent fruit?

This project intentionally breaks away from the downtrodden images, beloved by the press, and has elements of performance and humour, both of which are a big part of Blackpool life.