Relief

By Chloe Zola
@herebychloezola

Artist Note:

“When my son was a newborn, and I was up in the middle of the night for what seemed like the millionth night but was probably only the 37th or something, I tried to calm myself down, soothe my nervous system by telling myself that one day he will say his name for the first time, he will introduce himself and my heart will crack a little deeper than it already has, and this part that feels completely impossible will be a blurry memory. This was a coping mechanism when I was at a breaking point with the colic and the screaming and the lack of sleep and help and overall sense of self. But it turns out I was right. He says “Frankie” now, from behind a bashful smile and I just realized I look at him more than anything else in this world. Here’s a bit of what I see.”

Photo essay by Chloe Zola. Chloe is an illustrator, graphic designer and photographer, living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico by way of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Her life revolves mostly around carrying snacks and toy motorcycles for her two-year-old son who doubles as her biggest muse. You can find more of her work on Instagram and Substack.