West Side Rag
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART & CULTURE
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • ABOUT US
    • OUR STORY
    • CONTRIBUTORS
    • CONTACT
    • GET WSR FREE IN YOUR INBOX
    • SEND US TIPS AND IDEAS
West Side Rag
No Result
View All Result
SUPPORT THE RAG
No Result
View All Result

Favorite WSR Stories

  • Upper West Side Pizza Slice Named Best in the World
  • UWS Middle School Fights Against its Possible Elimination: ‘We Are Not Just Going to Roll Over’
  • Yusuf the Fruit Stand Vendor Back on His UWS Corner A Day After Fire: ‘We Love This Spot’
Get WSR FREE in your inbox
SUPPORT THE RAG

Happy Mother’s Day Upper West Side

May 11, 2025 | 8:23 AM
in ART, COLUMNS
15

By Gary Martin

The term “Mother” has come to mean so many things — but all of them caring, essential, nurturing, a hub for other smaller things. All deserve to be cherished and celebrated today and all days. I’ve pictured a few here. Can you name them? What am I missing?

* * *

Gary B. Martin is an illustrator and animator who has lived on the Upper West Side for more than 30 years. His illustrations appear in the Rag on Sundays, chronicling life in the neighborhood, New York City, and the Universe. See them all here. For a broader range of Gary’s work, including animations and other motion graphics, please visit www.martoons.com

Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And you can Support the Rag here.

Share this article:
SUPPORT THE RAG
Leave a comment

Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Our primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another’s ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected—even encouraged—but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit we aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here.

guest

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

15 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
birdie
birdie
8 months ago

Ok. Here’s what I see: Mother Earth, Mother Goose, Fairy Godmother, Mother Nature , the Mothership (??) , and of course, a traditional mother. I can think of a few not pictured, but maybe they’re not ready for primetime…
Regardless – Happy Mother’s Day to all of them and to all of ours, present and past.

1
Reply
Joanna
Joanna
8 months ago

Great cartoon, Gary. Per usual.

1
Reply
Neal Leibowitz
Neal Leibowitz
8 months ago

I recognize the mother ship from “Plan 9 from Outer Space.”

Last edited 8 months ago by Neal Leibowitz
1
Reply
Manhattan parent
Manhattan parent
8 months ago

Mother goose
Mother Earth
Fairy godmother
Mothership
Harvest mother

Is this right?

Motherboard is another suggestion.

1
Reply
Debfrombrooklyn
Debfrombrooklyn
8 months ago

Aw. So sweet! I love the illustration so much!

1
Reply
Andrea R
Andrea R
8 months ago

Great sentiment, Gary! Happy Mother’s Day to all!

1
Reply
andy
andy
8 months ago

Yes!

1
Reply
Arline Shenker
Arline Shenker
8 months ago

Thank you for this.

1
Reply
Stacey
Stacey
8 months ago

Artistic talent + unique humor + love = Gary. I always love his weekly contributions

1
Reply
OPOD
OPOD
8 months ago

Mother of anchor babies, until DJT.

1
Reply
Griggles
Griggles
8 months ago

Bravo! 👏 👏👏👏

1
Reply
Susan M
Susan M
8 months ago

A fine assemblage of mothers! I think you got the best ones. Of course many people play important mom-roles – and only some are called moms. Splitting hairs, there are Step moms, Gramdmas, mothers in law. Also: Den mothers, mother hens (for their broods), earth mothers, team moms, stage moms, “Mr Moms” (a term rightly gone from us), the motherboard (mentioned in comment), the “mother” for sourdough bread, the “mother-load” of something, ones mother tongue, a motherland (some languages and cultures have her; other have a fatherland!)….and the ones best not mentioned…no, I think you did get the best ones. 🙂

0
Reply
Therese Sargent Case
Therese Sargent Case
8 months ago

Amazing how many mothers there are in the world…and beyond!

1
Reply
UWSJMG
UWSJMG
8 months ago

Mamma Mia! 💐

1
Reply
Miriam Drachman
Miriam Drachman
8 months ago

The more the merrier when it comes to Moms. It really does take a village!😀

0
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

COLUMNS

Breaking Barriers from the Upper West Side to the Ends of the Earth: Black History in Motion

February 7, 2026 | 8:25 AM
UWS Weekend: Great Things To Do in the Neighborhood
COLUMNS

UWS Weekend: Great Things to Do in (and Around) the Neighborhood

February 6, 2026 | 8:37 AM
Previous Post

Read Between the Lines: How to Fall Even Harder for the Upper West Side

Next Post

Monday Bulletin: UWS Private School Prank Featuring Fake Border Checkpoint and Mariachi Band Prompts Outrage; UWS Toy Store Owner Worried Tariffs Could Cause Closing; Protestors Arrested After Columbia Building Occupation; More UWS Projects to Receive Funding

this week's events image
Next Post
Monday Bulletin: UWS Private School Prank Featuring Fake Border Checkpoint and Mariachi Band Prompts Outrage; UWS Toy Store Owner Worried Tariffs Could Cause Closing; Protestors Arrested After Columbia Building Occupation; More UWS Projects to Receive Funding

Monday Bulletin: UWS Private School Prank Featuring Fake Border Checkpoint and Mariachi Band Prompts Outrage; UWS Toy Store Owner Worried Tariffs Could Cause Closing; Protestors Arrested After Columbia Building Occupation; More UWS Projects to Receive Funding

Here’s the UWS Dish: Mille-Feuille Bakery’s Vanilla Mille-Feuille

Here’s the UWS Dish: Mille-Feuille Bakery’s Vanilla Mille-Feuille

New Public Art Sculptures Appear on the Upper West Side: What’s the Story?

New Public Art Sculptures Appear on the Upper West Side: What's the Story?

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • NEWSLETTER
  • WSR MERCH!
  • ADVERTISE
  • EVENTS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • SITE MAP
Site design by RLDGROUP

© 2026 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TOP NEWS
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART & CULTURE
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • ABOUT
    • OUR STORY
    • CONTRIBUTORS
    • CONTACT US
    • GET WSR FREE IN YOUR INBOX
    • SEND US TIPS AND IDEAS
  • WSR SHOP

© 2026 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.