In conversation with Kate Parfet on her book Milking a Duck and how mother stories are both universal and singularly unique
Name: Kate Parfet
Where are you currently based:
Mount Washington, Los Angeles
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your current projects?
I am a creative consultant, writer, and advocate for reproductive rights. I recently published Milking a Duck, a poetry, art, and photography book, I hope will spark conversations around normalizing reproductive health taboos.
Have you had any epiphanies lately? (big or small?!)
Hot water and lemon before coffee!
Do you have any calming rituals that help you to stay grounded?
Walking while listening to podcasts on subject matters that do not directly correlate to my professional life like archaeology, astrology etc.
Where is your favourite place to wake up in the world?
Condominium One at Sea Ranch, California.
What inspired you to create your book Milking Duck?
Drawing on my own experiences with IVF, I wanted to explore the ways politics, medicine, and society shape the motherhood experience.
As a creative consultant, where do you look for inspiration if you are in a creative rut?
The pile of art books in our living room, a walk up to Sea View Lane in our neighborhood, a trip to the Laemmle Glendale to watch a foreign film and gain a fresh perspective.
What has been one the biggest challenges that you have overcome?
Comparison to others, especially in fertility. Mother stories are both universal and singularly unique.
Do you have any mentors that have influenced your approach to life?
My dad for his entrepreneurial spirit, and my mom for her tenacity to be the breadwinner (while also a mother to two young children) in the 80s when he was starting his business.
Do you have any last words of wisdom that left a lasting impression on you?
Paraphrasing this quote by Samuel Beckett — it’s a good one: “When you are up to your neck in merde, there’s nothing to do but sing”.
Images supplied by Kate Parfet@kateparfet