Goals of a Painting Mommy

** I wrote this a couple months ago, sat on it, just read it again, and it stands up. I was worried at the time that I'd come across as having complete postpartum crazy-brain. **


Well, I'm a mother of two now. Amazing!

Lydia Katherine was born on February 8th.

And with her entrance into our lives, the fog of pregnancy lifted (talk about lack of motivation to do anything, especially paint!) and the desire to work came flooding back!

But I'm sleep deprived (i.e. crazy) and have the perspective to know how hard it is to fit painting in when you have a baby, especially a mobile one. So I might get really into painting for a couple months, get really motivated to START MY CAREER, and then be halted once again by a baby scooching, crawling, pulling up, walking!

Plus, when I start sleeping more, I'll start noticing the laundry that needs to be done, the house that needs to be cleaned, and oh I can make dinner tonight!

I'm not saying I'm not going to try to paint, I'm just saying, I need to make more realistic goals. When Everett was younger, I made goals like: finish all your college work, have a show, have 50 paintings ready to sell by Christmas! Well, those goals didn't work out so well. So I've thought up some more mommy-friendly goals.

The Impressionist show at the De Young: Nov. 2010

1. Become an art FAN again!

Hey, I was an art history major! I liked art! I liked other people's art!

I feel like my desire to become a working artist blinded me. I'd look at artist websites for ideas on how to make my website better. I'd look at their CV and their educational history (depressed that I had no CV and a less impressive education). But I wouldn't look at the ART!

My goal is to find art I like, go see it in person if I can, talk to the artists, ask them questions (maybe buy some original art I love!). And in doing this, I will learn everything I was searching those websites for (and more). Plus, I'll be immersing myself in lovely art. How fun!

2. Incorporate the kids into my art. 

I'm not at all sure what I mean by this. I know I don't want to paint pictures of  them (unless I get them in a really cool shot on occasion). I want to make the kind of art I would want to hang on my walls, and I don't want to display paintings of other people's kids (or pets).

But this is the only time in my life I will be living full time with young children. I want to make the most of it, not pretend they're not around!

The simplest solution would be to make art with them, have a time weekly or daily where we sit at the table and draw/paint. This will be easier as Everett gets older and his attention span increases.

I've also thought about painting/drawing subjects they dream up, or using their toy piles as still lives. We'll see!

3. Get prepared to go FULL BORE when the kids are all off to school.

Everett will be entering kindergarden in a little over two years, Lydia in a little over five (if we have another, that will add on some more time). Kindergarden is only half days, first grade will be full days!

This doesn't mean I won't paint. It doesn't mean I won't sell. It doesn't even mean I won't have a little show here and there. But I don't plan to see painting as a career until the kids' schedules give me that time.

This is my realistic goal. It gives me time to devote to my family but also something to strive for. There will be a time in the future (too soon, I fear) that the kids will be gone for MANY HOURS EVERY DAY! That is a good time to make painting a priority. Until then, in my free time, I can prepare for that day.


Blogging

I'm going to keep it free form for now. With my new focus on discovering art, I hope to be inspired to share my thoughts (I actually have a blog in the pipes about my new favorite color!).

If things go well, and I make some sort of blogging schedule, great!