Artist Statement
This piece is a drawing of the first moment I ever held my daughter after we survived an Amniotic Fluid Embolism. It was one of the happiest moments of my life after learning that I made it through a rare and often fatal birth complication. I was treated in the ICU after suffering cardiac arrest, major hemorrhaging, and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation during my C-section. My daughter recovered in the NICU after being born 5-weeks premature. Both of us received support in many forms from the hospital to ensure we were able to recover together. My birth story behind this drawing symbolizes the physical and mental pain behind my smile that would continue to be a theme throughout the next couple years as I battled a long recovery.

Biography
Amber Petch is an Edmonton based artist that graduated with a BFA in 2011 from the University of Alberta. Her preferred medium is pencil, ink and charcoal. In 2016 while delivering her daughter, Amber survived an Amniotic Fluid Embolism and it has forever changed the landscape of her life. From that day forward she vowed to never have a real job again. Her art practice is primarily doodles of everyday moments and she focuses on being present in motherhood. It is reflective of her current season in life; multitasking during small windows of time, always getting distracted by her kids with the constant buzzing of adult responsibilities in the back of her mind. In 2020 Amber was a Covenant Health Compassion Award nominee and received the Recognition Award for the Grey Nuns Hospital for her volunteer work in the NICU as a Family Mentor.