"Art is such a huge part of our lives and I like to think of my boys as my tiniest and most energetic studio apprentices. They tag along wherever I go, whether it be gallery hopping or hanging shows. We talk about art, we critique, and we color together. They see the bliss I have when creating and making things with my own hands. My wish is that they find this same happiness when they grow up, whether it be as an artist, sculptor, builder, or whatever their true calling may be." - Ann Marie Coolick
"Also, I would argue that there is no real way to streamline life...it's supposed to be messy and crazy, even though it can be really frustrating. It's "a beautiful mess", as they say. We live in Brooklyn without any family nearby and I sometimes wish I could have a little help, but right now I am thankful just to be doing what I love and raising a happy, smart, silly little girl!" - Megan of Art by Megan
"I believe mothers have an invaluable amount to contribute to creative society. It’s all about balance. Knowing that my path in life is to be both a mother and an artist allows me to maintain a certain balance between the two roles. Being able to do both is a real privilege!" -Georgina Forbes
"I worried a lot about my daughters not seeing me in my professional career like I had when my first was little but with the girls watching me create a new business and find such joy in painting I feel incredibly blessed. They are seeing me build a business that fits into our lives, their lives, and makes me happy. I feel they they will take away excellent life management skills from watching their mama. I know that painting makes me a much better mother. I am happier when I am able to explore my creative side and also put to use my business skills. I love raising three independent girls and always encourage them to seek out what makes them happy and remind them that they are responsible for creating a life they love." - Kristin Try
"Well, it’s getting a lot easier now that he’s nine! It was hard in the beginning, but I did my best to carve out little chunks of time for creativity. I have a very supportive husband who suggested I get studio space out of the house where I could go a couple of times a week… that way I couldn’t be distracted by a toddler that wanted to play, or by a pile of laundry that I believed needed to be done immediately. Life is still really busy right now though - Charlie has lots of activities, I have a day job, I run the blog (and everything that comes along with that) so I’ve had to DECIDE to make time. I set aside chunks of my weekend where I don’t do anything else. Just make collages. I usually give my boys a head’s up that they’re going to have to pick up some take-out because I’m going right through till bedtime! You know... when you get on a roll, you get on a roll!" Danielle Krysa
"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
"For me, being an artist feeds a part of my soul that wasn’t fulfilled before. I believe that I am more wholly myself when my drive to create is being met. I hope that my children will see that being an artist can exist apart from a career, and that being creative can be expressed in a variety of ways, but that everyone is creative in their own right. I also hope that my children will take away the idea that self-fulfillment is not selfish, but that it is a necessary part of self-care that makes you a better parent, sibling, and friend." - Emily Jamison
"If there is a way to take your art with you, I recommend it. Some people need soft music, a clean work surface, and total quiet to be productive and creative. My life doesn’t allow for these circumstances, so I keep my studio in my bag. There are small tools you can buy, but all it takes is a piece of paper and a pencil or a travel set of watercolors, and you can carve out some time wherever you go." - Samantha Dion Baker
"We are planning on spending a few months in Southern France next year. Needless to say, I'm dreaming BIG about that adventure! Walking in the same fields as Van Gogh, visiting Monet's studio and gardens, visiting the town Picasso spent so much of his formative years in... it's going to be so refreshing and exciting and inspiring." - Emily Jeffords
"I have found that I am so much more productive with the precious couple of hours I get during nap time than I used to be with an entire uninterrupted work day stretching before me. There is simply no time to distract myself with social media or other forms of procrastination during studio time. Small children have a way of making you more efficient with your alone time while periods spent in their company become decidedly less “productive”, in the best way possible." - Kristen Abbott
"Since having my son nearly four years ago now, my work and approach has certainly changed for the better. It’s funny how children force you to get laser-focused and efficient at whatever it is you do. And trust me, “laser-focused” is not an adjective I would have ever used to describe myself. Part of that and probably the biggest change has been simply staying on task and “creating” on a schedule – something that you’re just forced to do with children. Basically, I now listen to my instinct a lot more, which in turn has helped to instill a certain confidence in my work. My son has given me a new source of energy and motivation to create despite the daily stresses of being a mother. His imagination and thirst for discovery are infectious and I try to channel that into my work EVERY day." - Eva Magill-Oliver
"Oh it was very difficult when I first started getting into painting to find the time. Basically, if she was asleep, I was painting (and her naps were unpredictable and usually short in those early days). After she started attending her Mother’s Day Out program, it became much easier. The time I have while she is at school is sacred to me. I don’t run errands, shop, or sit on the couch. I go into my studio, turn up my music and I don’t come out until it’s time to go pick her up." - Ashlee McClung
"I hope my kids take away the importance of being creative in life. It can be a good soother and fulfills a need I think we all have to participate in life from a different angle. I also want them to know that they can do something they love and find a way to make it happen. I feel like an artistic practice teaches a type of ingenuity and problem solving that can serve them well. I also hope that the way I see things is advantageous to them, how I point out color or something that in nature is simply beautiful. It is a way to find joy all the time." - Heather Kirtland
"I didn't start realizing how I loved art until after I had children, but having children definitely does influence the way I view art. I use it as a way to play and relax. And I want my artwork to always evoke that playful and/or relaxed state. I feel like that's what everyone needs - to either have more fun or to relax more. I paint mainly with watercolor because it is inherently a quick medium (at least for me). I am able to spend a short amount of time painting and still feel like I've made something complete, which is critical when you've got kids who demand a lot of your attention." - Jaimie Myers
"My tip is just this. Find the time. Make opportunities for yourself. If the only time you have is at night, hand over the kids and get into your happy place and create. Even if it's for 15 minutes. In those 15 minutes, you can find yourself and get motivated to find the next 15 minutes. Hopefully you have supportive people in your life who can allow you focus time on your art. I like to live by this quote: "Every morning you have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them." Not sure who wrote that one, but it's good!" - Kelly Rossetti
"My tip is just this. Find the time. Make opportunities for yourself. If the only time you have is at night, hand over the kids and get into your happy place and create. Even if it's for 15 minutes. In those 15 minutes, you can find yourself and get motivated to find the next 15 minutes. Hopefully you have supportive people in your life who can allow you focus time on your art. I like to live by this quote: "Every morning you have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them." Not sure who wrote that one, but it's good!" - Hannah Betzel
"When I first was pregnant my creativity all but disappeared. Other artist mamas I talked to at that time said their creativity was through the roof - they’d never been more creative as when they were pregnant, but I had such a different experience. I felt like mine had completely abandoned me. And I felt like I was alone in that. And that combination was so hard.
But after I had my daughter, it ever-so-slowly started to come back. Especially as she grew enough to hold crayons or a paint brush. I saw how unencumbered she was with art - there were no rules in her head. There was no judgment about what was good or bad. She was wild and free. Seeing that helped start to break down my artist’s block and breathe new life into my art." - Penelope Dullaghan
"Two of my promises to myself when I became a mom were that I wouldn't participate in the mom guilt thing and I would let my kid see me at my best, doing what I love. I'm an art teacher so I see the impact art and artists make on the little minds of kids. I also know how important it is for kids to have time and space to make things in a playful way. I look forward to creating with Henry Hollis someday." - Sarah Fought
"Having a kid has actually made me better at time management and in turn I have become much more productive. It's that whole thing where when you're busier you get more done. It has helped having her in part-time preschool and also having a partner whose schedule is more flexible than most. For me it's imperative to make lists. Both lists of long-term goals and daily tasks are very important." -Katie Vernon
"I’ve been painting consistently for a few years before having my first daughter. After she was born, I felt a surge of inspiration and creativity. I became much more purposeful with my time and the direction of my art. I knew that raising the girls was going to be my primary focus, so I needed to find a way to fit my passion and career into that. One of the biggest changes since having children has been the limited hours to create. I’ll be in the middle of a piece, inspired and in the zone, and I’ll have to walk away to focus on family life. I think that as mothers, we are always adjusting to the changing daily demands and needs of our children. Understanding this fluidity has helped me both in my studio practice and in creating art." - Karina Bania
