Curated by Jenny Cahill and Amy Thornley Heard as part of The Daylight Collective – a community of local parent artists in Exeter

Tracing the Matriline features 29 local and national m/other* artists exploring the theme of maternal family lines, support systems and experiences to and through matrescence.

“The artworks explore deeply personal feelings and experiences as well as reflections on mothering and being mothered by family, friends and how we mother our environment and planet.  Tracing the Matriline shares varied topics including soil health, women’s physical and mental health, the societal pressure to want children and the self-pressure created in the face of infertility and impotence.  When we zoom out from the hyper-personal, we may see an infinitely intricate constellation of small acts of kindness or reluctance that steers us along one red thread or another, in the universal web of matrescence.” – Amy Thornley Heard & Jenny Cahill (Curators)

Matrescence is a term coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael in the 1970s to describe the profound transformation a woman or birthing person undergoes when becoming a parent. Similar to adolescence, matrescence encompasses significant physical, cognitive, emotional, hormonal, and social changes that reshape a person’s identity and worldview.

M/Other Artists: Amy Thornley-Heard, Antoinette Brown, Bethan Stokes, Charlie Walker-Mitchell, Emma Forrest, Jennifer Milarski-Stermsek, Jenny Cahill, Laura de Moxom, Leila Manion, Lindsey Gatenby, Lottie Bolster, Louisa Currier, Lynsey Stannard, Matilda Macmillan, Michele Selway, Olivia James, Penny Davis, Pia Jaime, Polly Black, Rebecka Fleetwood-Smith, Ruth Batham, Sharon James, Silvia Salerno, Sonia Kemp, Sophia Platts-Palmer, Sophie Blinstrub, Vicky Carter, Victoria Clarke and YARA+DAVINA.

*M/Other: Matrescence Festival and The Daylight Collective embrace and celebrate the experiences of care givers who have been historically marginalised, underrepresented and underappreciated. We have a forward slash in m/other to include adoptive, bereaved, biological, foster, intersex, non-binary, pregnant, queer, seahorse, step, surrogate, trans, grand and great-grand parents, people on fertility journeys, people who are childless not by choice. This is not an exhaustive list. The journey to and through m/otherhood is complex and we are welcoming of all experiences.

Opening Event:

Thu 21 May, 10am – 12pm, The Workshop, Exeter Phoenix

Join us on for an opening event with artist talks Sharon James, YARA+DAVINA, Matilda Macmillan and Jenny Cahill, and discussion with art critic and author Hettie Judah. Talks are adult centred but children are welcome with you. Tickets at matrescencefestival.co.uk

About:

Matrescence Festival is a space to explore the metamorphosis of m/otherhood. Founded in Exeter in 2024 by Lizzy Humber (UK) and Claire Tonti (Australia) with a shared vision to combine art, education and community to explore the matrescence, the festival alternates between Exeter and Melbourne each year.

This year the festival returns to Devon (Tue 12 May – Thu 25 Jun 2026) to offer of programme featuring expert speakers, theatre performances, music poetry, workshops and community discussion to support education, village thinking and support in matrescence. The full programme can be found at matrescencefestival.co.uk

The Daylight Collective is a parent-artist network that connects, supports, empowers and develops artists in the throes of parenthood. We offer parent-friendly arts events, create employment and career development opportunities for parents who are artists and develop and advocate for daytime audiences. We hold peer support circles, gallery go-sees and curate annual art exhibitions in the South West. We produce Daylight Sessions, a performance programme that take place in the day, aimed at adults but where children are welcome, offering a night out in the day.

The Daylight Collective has been supported by Exeter Phoenix since 2018.
Tracing the Matriline is supported by The Society Des Beaux Arts Exon and The Daylight Collective.

daylightcollective.com / @thedaylightcollectivesw

matrescencefestival.co.uk / @matrescencefestiva

Venue: Walkway Gallery

Community based exhibitions from local groups, projects and creative activities.