Staying creative: art Mum

For some reason, being a mum has filled me with endless ideas for creative projects I would like to do. This isn't really anything new, I have always been an ideas woman, but not much of a follow through and finish kinda gal. But now, I actually start my ideas and my head is constantly spinning with ways to try to improve and refine them. I have always been a painter, but in the last two years I have painted maybe four pieces. This fortnight I have painted three magpies, one bee, a set of four Australian birds and a large parrot. I have also painted five large abstracts and a stack of small abstracts in watercolours. I have also been working on things for Olive, ideas for toys, a puppet theatre, clothes and decorations .... where is all of this creative energy coming from?

When I became a mum my world opened up in way I've never experienced before and never expected. I thought that after Olive was born I would have so much less time, I would have to make huge sacrifices and spend my days totally focused on her. And while I am totally focused on her, the sacrifices I make do not seem so monumental. While I do spend a lot of time breastfeeding, walking and cuddling with Olive it gives my mind time to wander to all the little corners it wasn't being given the time to wander to before. I am exposed to children's books, packed full of incredible images and stories, some new, some old. Bringing back memories from my own childhood and creating new ones with Olive. I have always found children's book incredibly enjoyable, there is something about the gentle colours and gorgeously rendered images that fill me with inspiration. 

I am also driven now to not only create, but to create something of value to provide for my child. I now have more of a purpose when I am making things. There is always a tiny voice saying "could you market this?" or "is this good enough to sell?" I think I get this from my mother. She is thrilled when I sell my work and always encourages me to value my gifts. Now I have a good reason to value my work, but I still struggle when it comes down to actually selling it. I never know what to price something and if I am asking too much of too little. Being an artist seems to be 20% making art and 80% imposter syndrome. 

Getting into good habits when it comes to staying creative is vital for me. In the past I have been the kind of person who starts something and then quickly looses interest and moves on to the next project. The patience I have had to learn from being a mother seems to have translated seamlessly into my art practice. I accept that I cannot finish every work I start in one swift session. I tend to Olive's needs while she is awake, singing to her while I work and getting the most work done while she is asleep. I have also found that getting all my laundry and general cleaning out of the way first thing has helped me to get energized and not procrastinate too much. 

I never understood how people got so much done...while always having energy to socialize too. It's coffee. That's the trick. Before I was pregnant I hated coffee. After Olive was born I forced down a few bitter beverages to help me stay bright after several sleepless nights in the early days...now I've developed a taste for it. I've created a monster. A monster who cleans, folds laundry, sees her friends and keeps a regular art practice all while keeping a sweet squishy baby alive and happy.