Astronomical Print

We are all in the gutter – but some of us are looking at the stars. Oscar Wilde Sarah has two beautiful girls who were born 16 months apart. Some people call these Irish Twins and smile while saying so. And although it has been the biggest blessing to Sarah, it was not without its struggles. Postpartum depression raised it's ugly and silent voice inside Manson. Every mother that experiences this condition does so in a unique way. The hardest step is to ask for help. Therapy postpartum should be mandatory as this condition can go undetected for a long time. ‘I indulged wholeheartedly into Motherhood and continue to love every moment, however, I rarely left the house unless I absolutely had to and closed the door on my studio for too long. Not spending time expressing myself through art has a physical effect on my mindfulness and I didn’t realize how vital a part of my life it was until a professional psychologist told me. I was prescribed mandatory alone time in the studio, and that is how this project manifested itself.’ - Manson Be thankful for what you have because you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never have enough. Oprah Winfrey Looking at the stars allows you to see a bigger picture and reminds you that whatever your problems and worries are they are only teeny tiny in relation to the vast universe. Manson quickly overcame the depression of postpartum depression through painting she was able to slow her mind and enjoy the moment. Mindfulness is very important and we should all indulge in self-care periodically. ‘I have to make time for myself in the studio, with its huge south-facing window looking out onto Ballymoyle Hill, the night sky truly is so beautiful. Some people see darkness but I see energy, exploration, and never-ending possibilities.’ - Manson For one to look at the night sky we are seeing the stories of ancient cultures through constellations and the light produced by the stars millennia before humans were here. We have always tried to make sense of the stars and of the wonder that comes from them. We have used them for guidance, for explanations, and for research. We are on this planet because of one and we are alive because of one. Einstein said ‘imagination is more important than knowledge, knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world, logic will get you from A to B but imagination will take you everywhere.’ Manson has been able to use a telescope throughout this project, it is incredibly powerful and will allow star gazing to be part of the process. Along with Saturn and Jupiter, a number of other items of interest will be the International Space Station and Andromeda, AKA the Milky Way's neighbouring galaxy. ‘Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the Universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.’ - Stephen Hawking