COTFA

In May 2015 to May 2016, we posted an interview with one artist mother per week to see how having children has impacted their art making and creativity. What followed was inspiration, candidness, generosity, and practical advice.

In 2016, we are looking to all types of artists to see how they find time to create art - some may be parents, others could be retirees, dayjob creatives, late bloomers, etc.

2017-2020 had us focusing on a book project featuring Creativity and Motherhood. “The Motherhood of Art” is now available for purchase here!

Jessica Nichols

February 28, 2016 in Artist Mother

"I’m shifting to only working or volunteering during the school hours and taking care of the household business at other times. For me, painting is a form of creating that is more free, it’s not tied to my business and I tend to be more inspired in the evenings to paint. I also feel it sets a good example to my family of doing something analog, I love for my son to see me not working and being more playful." - Jessica Nichols

"Now it is a bit easier to find time as they are teenagers. They are less demanding but even as teens my studio is still in the dining room in the middle of the house and there are still constant interruptions. I didn’t have the option to not work outside the home or pay for childcare or stay home once they were in school. I couldn’t stay up late doing art because I got up early for work. I’m sure that I could have done more art. I really yearned to be a full time artist and have a studio and stay home. My focus was to have them here with me and know that I cared about their projects and show them that I was happy making things and they could be also. It worked out well, they always had something that they were interested in and now are very self directed and have that love of learning and making instilled." - Lisa Rydin Erickson