Who is Hanna's Mother from Floating in My Mother's Palm: A Novel and what is their importance?

Hanna's mother is a wild spirit. Hanna's mother is an artist who is often gossiped about in their small town because she does not display or share her work often. Hanna's mother is also a bit of an oddity in that she likes to swim in thunderstorms and to drive too fast. Hanna's mother seems almost reckless, but also the kind of woman who is not tethered by popular expectations. Hanna clearly is devoted to her mother and admires the relationship between her caring parents. Hanna's mother dies when Hanna is only fourteen, a moment that alters Hanna's view of the world having the largest impact on her life.