Painting Parent - Caesar Citraro

Painting Parent - Caesar Citraro

Still Life
18x24
oil
2013

How many children do you have? What are their ages? 
 
*I have Two Children… Ages Eight and Nine.

How did your artistic career begin?

*I graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1986. Soon after graduation I moved to Chicago and started work as an illustrator. About that time I also started working at the Art Institute of Chicago. I ended up working there for over 20 years. I was one of the people responsible for the care of works of art on paper. My official title was Conservation Technician and I worked primarily on the 19 and 20^th century Print and Drawing collection. Part of my job was to travel to other museums and collectors homes working on their collections. Having such an up close and personal relationship with the objects, in a way, is really when my Artistic Career began.

What is your Parenting/work/art situation?

*I’m a full time Parent and a full time Artist. Both jobs never let me punch a clock or take a break… When the Kids were really young I would get up at 4:30 am and paint until they would get up. Then I would paint at night. I was a stay at home parent working out of my home studio. My wife works very long hours so I often was alone with the kids for weeks straight with no breaks. It was very fractured and not altogether healthy. Now that they are older and in school it’s much easier.



Tree Field
8x10
oil on canvas board
2014

When do you make time to do your art and do you have a regular art routine?

*Unless I take a break during the day, I am in the studio from 8:00 am until late afternoon, 4:00 or 5:00 Summer and Fall I teach, either in my studio of traveling around for Plein Air classes… In the Winter, I paint in the studio almost exclusively.

Do your children get involved with your art?

*My children always know what I’m working on. I show them my paintings and we talk about them. I have to admit though, my studio is not the most kid friendly place. Lots of paints, chemicals and fragile things. I do have them set up and make art on occasion, but for the most part my studio is where I work. I try and imagine my profession the way a Plumber or a Doctor might, it’s nice to have the kids visit and understand what their parents do, but in the end it’s my job.

Do they inspire aspects of your art?

*I try every day to find that pure childlike vision… it’s really hard, but my children often remind me of how to look and see. This is something that I will forever be thankful for.

How has having children changed your artwork?

*I’m not really sure, I don’t know what my paintings would be like if the never came along. I do know that when they were younger, for years, I was making art with very little sleep. I’m also sure I’m painting faster now than I used to. Having a tighter schedule has forced me to figure things out faster. This and the childlike vision thing I mentioned above.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?

* I tend to be very organized so I schedule lots of things and make lots of household plans. I do all of the shopping, cooking and manage the day to day stuff here at home. I’m also aware as a parent that having some flexibility in my schedule is a rare thing these days, that most parents only dream of. Making time for my career is doable as long as I stay a bit flexible.

Forest First Light
24x24
oil
2013

Have different ages of your children been more difficult to make time for artwork and in which ways?

*When they were very young it was really hard physically. Crazy hours with no sleep. Now that they are older, it’s much harder psychologically for me. They are growing up so fast. I only have one shot to see this and to be a part of it. The time I spend at work take time away from them.

How do you encourage your children to be artistic?

*They went to an arts based school for the last 4 years, but other than that, not much… but here’s the thing. Everything about our/my life is encouraging them artistically. My kids honestly believe all parents are artistic and that all kids are encouraged at home to be creative and express them selves artistically. There are musical instruments all over the house, enough art supplies to start an art school, Two parents that understand the importance of the Arts and a dad that can help draw the tricky parts of their monster drawings. Being Artistic demands such a broad range of developmental skills I kind of feel that if the Kids are brought up in an Arts loving, empathetic and hard working environment then we’ve set them on a good path, wherever their lives take them.

Do you feel extra pressure as an artist to raise your children to be artistic?

*Nope. It’s just a fact that they are in an artistic environment and are being raised that way that is in the end important. They don’t know any thing different. , their lives lead them I think their exposure to the arts will have been valuable.

Have you seen your children take inspiration from your artwork?

*On occasion I see little references in their drawings to some of my paintings or subject matter and I try and give them little drawing tips and tricks. My youngest set up and old Plein Air easel in her room, so sometime she tries to paint like me.

In what ways does being an artist make being a parent harder or easier?

*As a parent my first priority is to my kids. This is a decision I’ve made. Having said that, so far I haven’t had to chose between them and my art and I don’t feel my work has suffered.

Do you think being a parent affects the way you are perceived as an artist?

* What other people think of me is none of my business.

Are there any other things about Balancing Painting and Parenting that you would like to share?

*For me, working consistently and keeping my eyes on the bigger picture is what is important. Nothing related to making art or being a parent is easy, sometimes it’s just less hard. Both careers can be insanely rewarding, so I just keep doing them.

 

To see more of his art please visit http://citraroart.com/

Judy Takacs Painting Parent and a Chick With Balls!

Judy Takacs

Painting Parent and a Chick With Balls!

Cancer Honeymoon
by Judy Judy Takacs, artist

How many children do you have? What are their ages?

3 boys, 19, 16 and 15

How did your artistic career begin?

In 1986 I got a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art. I majored in Illustration and Portrait Painting. My first job out of school was as a graphic design assistant at a big 8 public accounting firm in Boston. Lots of pasting up graphs and charts, lots of typesetting, and as much illustration as I could possibly squeeze into any job I did. I also did any and every freelance design/illustration/portrait painting job that was offered to me. I also painted on my own time, taking life drawing and painting classes in the evening to ensure that I’d have access to live models.

The Introvert

by Judy Takács

What is your Parenting/work/art situation?

I paint 6 days a week for about 6-8 hours a day. I develop themes and paint series of work based on whatever theme I happen to be working on. I bounce back and forth from themes, working on one for months at a time until it’s time to freshen up and do another. Right now its my Chicks with Balls series, painting unsung female heroes, topless, holding balls. I find working on series keeps me from waking up and wondering what the heck I’m going to paint. I always have about 6-7 in various stages of finish so, there’s always something that’s dry enough…or still wet enough…for me to work on.

When do you make time to do your art and do you have a regular art routine?

Now the kids are in school all day, so, I’d like to say that as soon as they are off I run upastairs to my home studio with my coffee and start painting. Actually though, I spend an hour or so (sometimes more) taking care of my administrative stuff…marketing, updating facebook posts, entering shows, responding to emails, writing blog stories…I call this stuff “paintenance.” Then, with those odds and ends put to bed a little, I’m more free to focus on the painting.

Do your children get involved with your art?

I make them pose for me, from life and photos, I also have had them help me hang shows, transport art, carry stuff. I will teach them framing at some point too…THAT would be useful! One of the things I’ve done with their many MANY toddler drawings that I hate to throw away is incorporate them into paintings and life drawings.

Sweet Sloth

by Judy Takács

Do they inspire aspects of your art?

Absolutely. Nothing like painting what you know best. I made two paintings of my oldest son as he left for college, one was called, “Sweet Sloth” with him sleeping in various positions. This also played into my Seven Deadly Sins series. Then I painted another one of him called The Introvert. I blogged about this one too.  

How has having children changed your artwork?

For me there was no distinct before and after children, because before I had kids it was the late 80s and my life and the world in general were very different from what it is now. So many things have changed since then (technology being the absolute main one), that I can’t really pinpoint the changes that were made by having kids. I do know that when I got pregnant with my first I had already stopped oil painting because I had a very busy freelance graphic design/illustration business which was essential to our family as I supported my husband through his schooling, and there wasn’t any time left over for my personal art. And then once I had my first baby, and then the other two, there wasn’t time left for personal hygiene, let alone personal art. I continued to do the design work on a tapering freelance basis, but by the time I had 3 kids, I was a full time mom and my husband was able to support the family instead of me, so, I made the kids my full time job for about 8 years or so.

That said, I did try to use every single opportunity for creativity I could. I painted pottery, I designed sets for school music productions, I did our neighborhood newsletter, I designed brochures on a volunteer basis for lots of the organizations I was involved with, but I didn’t pick up an oil paint brush for a good 10 years until the elementary school asked me to paint a portrait of the retiring principal…as a surprise…from his school photo. I did it though, because opportunities are opportunities. I also continued to attend life drawing classes religiously.



Nina is grace under fire

by Judy Takács

Here is her blog story.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?

I have a cleaning person come in once a week to do the major cleaning. I do cooking, laundry, and all the zillions of other maintenance items that living in a house with 3 kids and a husband involves. In the summers I have kids do dishes and other chores, and I never EVVVVVVER do housekeeping stuff during painting time. I act like I have left the house and its not possible for me to do a household chore. I say this, however, as I am about to jump up and put laundry into the dryer, so even that mindset is only my ideal and guiding principle. I’m still the mom, and I do the house stuff and the kid stuff, but I love the art stuff the most, so it pulls me back. My husband works full time, and supports us all, so I hold up my end by taking care of home stuff…though

Have different ages of your children been more difficult to make time for artwork and in which ways?

Yes, I generally wasn’t able to make art while they were home when they were little, plus, I didn’t have a dedicated creativity space. I used their pockets of time in school to make art. When, back in 2001 I had my first day where my two little ones were in pre-school for two hours a week, I made a commitment to do art during that time…and only art. The very first day they were in preschool together, and my older one was in kindergarten, however happened to be 9-11. Right as I was leaving the preschool, the parents were gathered outside talking about how one plane hit the world trade center. Then the director came out and told us a second one just hit it… so that kind of ruined my first two hours of creativity time in about 5 years. Now they are teenagers and would totally leave me alone all day if I didn’t wake them and force them to spend time with me.

How do you encourage your children to be artistic?

Back when they were younger it was very easy. I had art supplies all over the place, I kept cardboard boxes, tubes, plastic stuff, boxes of just about anything. I had hot glue guns for everyone, including friends and they’d build forts and hideouts for their action heroes. And for boys, the idea of using a gun (along with the danger of the hot glue) to make art was the best. And of course some creative paraphanalia never got much action (painted glassward, shrinkydinks, weaving kits), other stuff was a hit. With three, and sometimes a friend or two over, they had to be on their own with the art stuff, so I never really made it for them or even with them. The results weren’t magazine-worthy, but they were their own, originality was king. I did try to make them clean up, but…you know how that goes. And often the cleanup time was more than the actual art time. I remember a horrible marbleized Easter Egg dying experience I had with my 2 year old…really what was I thinking?

Do you feel extra pressure as an artist to raise your children to be artistic?

Some, but, none of them is committed enough to art to make it a career. And that’s a good thing. My older two are computer guys and are very into programming now ( not just playing video games, but that’s a gateway drug for programmers…just sayin’). I try to encourage a creative spirit and creative problem solving and thinking outside the box. They don’t actually have to wield a brush to be creative.

In what ways does being an artist make being a parent harder or easier?

For me it makes it immensely easier. I have my studio right at home, so from a flexibility standpoint I function as a full-time mom. And sometimes if they have a school project or poster to do they will do it up in the studio with the exacto knives and my drawing table. And whenever they need posterboard, I have it. Same with colored pencils, gold markers, a paint brush…I have it. And if they’re home sick, I’ll let them curl up on my studio couch and snooze while I paint. Those days are always special. And snow days don’t bother me a bit…I actually love them!  

I remember when I just had one child and I was able to finish design projects and cook dinner and get my photo albums done and take him for a walk and nurse him 7 times a day, I felt like this parenting rock star. Then at about 5 months old he “woke up”…and was awake more and more and more and suddenly the world changed and I was this babbling idiot that couldn’t accomplish a single thing. So I said the hell with it and had two more and threw myself totally into the child raising for more than a few years. When I accepted that I wasn’t going to be a great artist at this point in my life, and that my kids were only going to be little for a short time, it got easier. I just stuck with my weekly life drawing class and immersed myself in the parenting, without always jumping up and trying to paint a bit, and feeling like I was cheating both. And now that they’re teenagers, I’ve still hopefully got some 40 years to be that “great artist” so that’s what I’m doing now…full force! Until the grandkids come of course!

Do you think being a parent affects the way you are perceived as an artist?

I’m trying to make it the new cool to be an artist/mom actually.

Third Place

I have been spending a lot of time working on various Commissions. I have 3 currently underway and several others I need to get started on. It is great to be busy. This is a progress shot of a commission that I am waiting for areas to dry before I can finish some final touches.

I have also made time for some painting from life. This is a painting done during a 2.5 hour pose painted with only Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black and White. I have been enjoying using this limited palette and it helped make the process of this painting much more simple than if I had 3 or 4 times as many colors to contend with. The photograph has a lot of glare, because the paint was so thick and so dark.

My Painting of my grandmother and my daughter titled "Arms of Experience" took third place at the Art Space Herndon 6th annual Portrait Competition show "Expressions" I wore my typical boots to the reception but I did buy a new dress to go with them. I realized that four generations were represented in this painting because two were in it, I painted it and my Father made the frame for me. It is made of beautiful black walnut.

Painting Parent - Shana Levenson

Today's Painting Parent is Shana Levenson.
 
Shana's current series of work, Portraits of Parenthood, is focused on non-traditional portraits of the sometimes-secret duality of parenting in modern times. 
How many children do you have? What are their ages?

I have two children.  My daughter, Abigail (Abby) is 5 and just started kindergarten and my son Samuel (Sam or Sammy) is 4 and just started Pre-K.

How did your artistic career begin?

I walked around with a sketchbook as a child.  My older brother, Mike, is an artist and I basically did what he did.  He had a comic strip all throughout is childhood and into college and I followed suit when I was younger.  As I got older I got into sports and didn’t draw as much but picked it back up later in high school when I started designing my basketball team’s t-shirts and drew characters of each of my classmates.  I went to the University of Texas for Fashion

Design and ended up not doing anything with that due to moving around for military with my husband at the time.  After my second child, I decided it was time to go get my masters in Fine Arts since that was something I knew I wanted and have been focused ever since.  I paint in my studio from basically 9 to 4 everyday.  I started Shana Levenson LLC in January 2014 and started entering shows and have won first place in 3 so far and several other awards in the others.  It’s been exciting and fun and I love going to “work” everyday!  My anticipated graduation date for my masters is December 2015 in which I hope to be showing in galleries by then and will try to apply for a college teaching job. 

What is your Parenting/work/art situation?

My kids go to school everyday and we have a babysitter pick them up so I am able to work in my studio, focus on finishing school, and grow my work.  My schedule is changing a bit due to family circumstances so we will see what my days are like after that point.

When do you make time to do your art and do you have a regular art routine?

I am a pretty routine person as well as extremely focused.  When I set a goal for myself I try to always achieve it.  Having a routine helps me with that.

Do your children get involved with your art?

My children don’t actually paint on my paintings, but they definitely inspire some of what I do.  I also love having them in my studio painting with me although I don’t get much work done when they do… they are extremely messy painters.  J

Do they inspire aspects of your art?

As stated above, they do inspire aspects of my work, especially my thesis work for my MFA which is revolved around parenthood.

How has having children changed your artwork?

Having children hasn’t really changed my artwork.  I would say life experience has changed it and I try to bring that emotion into what I am creating.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?

It hasn’t affected household tasks since I am constantly on the go and have been able to find balance in everything (so far).  I think as the kids get older and start getting involved in more activities, we will see what happens.

Have different ages of your children been more difficult to make time for artwork and in which ways?

I didn’t really do much when they were first born as far as my art goes, but once I did get back into it, I fit my art in with parenting somehow…. But it all seems like a blur when I look back.  LOL

How do you encourage your children to be artistic?

I LOVE encouraging their artistic sides.  There was a period when my daughter Abby painted faces either green or black because she wanted to and I LOVED that.  She actually carries around a journal and draws things that she is feeling or experienced that day or saw somewhere, which I have great admiration for.  Her creativity astounds me and I try to push her to keep thinking outside the box because I actually ENVY that part of her artistic side.  I like to think of my son as the more abstract artist because he just likes to flow with his work… no rhyme or reason.  I like to call him my little Rothko sometimes because he loves painting sections of color.  I hope to keep pushing them to always paint or at least have some sort of creative release somewhere in their lives because for me it’s my zen… I escape into what I’m doing and the world stops moving.

Do you feel extra pressure as an artist to raise your children to be artistic?

Not at all.  I am open to them being WHOMEVER they want to be.  I just want to be there to open their eyes up to all the possibilities they have in the world whether it be music, art, math, science…whatever.  As long as they find something they love to do!

In what ways does being an artist make being a parent harder or easier?

Being an artist evens me out.  Without art, I fear I would be a lost soul.  Being a parent is the most amazing thing in the world… but it doesn’t define who I am completely.  I am so much more and I’m thankful I have art to be able to share that with others.

Do you think being a parent affects the way you are perceived as an artist?

I haven’t had that feeling quite yet… but I’m so new in the art world so I haven’t had much time to experience that yet I guess.

 http://shanalevensonfineart.com/about

Painting Parent - Suzanne Lago Arthur

Todays Painting Parent is Suzanne Lago Arthur.  She is a professional portrait painter working out of the Northern Virgina area. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally in such venues as the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC, The Museum of the Americas, Washington DC, EuroAmerica Galleries, SoHo, NYC, and The United States Special Interests Section, Havana, Cuba. In addition to portraiture, she also paints still life, figurative and landscape paintings and teaches classes for youth and adults. She is a copyist at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.

How many children do you have? What are their ages?

I have one child who recently turned 8 and will be going into 2nd grade.

How did your artistic career begin?

So far I've had two stages of my artistic career. The first was right after graduation from the Corcoran College of Art + Design during which time I exhibited my mostly figurative, magic realism work in galleries and museums in the Washington DC area such as the Cocoran Gallery, the Museum of the America's, and also in Havana Cuba. 
The second phase has been post marriage, motherhood, a Master’s degree and after a slight detour working professionally as an exhibit/graphic designer. During this second stage I have re-dedicated myself to the craft of painting and pursuing realism. I now mostly dedicate my time to portrait commissions although I have begun to explore painting still life. 

What is your Parenting/work/art situation?

I am the primary care giver to our son Mon - Fri. This has meant that I have had to be flexible with my studio time. When our son was younger I painted during the evenings after my husband came home from work to relieve me of my parenting "shift". Often times I painted for only an hour at a time, whatever time I could scrape together. But it is in this manner that I have I re-built my art career. 
I should also mention that I teach both children and adults out of my studio 3 days a week.

When do you make time to do your art and do you have a regular art routine?

My current routine comprises of getting up between 5:00 - 6:00 am and being in the studio an hour later by 6:00 or 7:00 am. It has allowed me to get a good 3 - 4 hours of painting uninterrupted while my son is on summer break. By the time he is really up and complaining of being "bored", I am done with my work for the day. But I will add that it has been difficult to maintain the consistency of daily studio work during the lazy summer months. 

 Does your son get involved with your art?

No way! I paint in oils and I don't want him even touching my equipment. I am very concerned about the toxicity they contain. However, when I am painting he is allowed and encouraged to come in and paint alongside me on his own projects, in watercolor or acrylic. He wears gloves just like his Mama when he paints (totally his idea ;).

 Does he inspire aspects of your art?

He inspires everything I do and has been the subject of several paintings including "Independence Day" which captures the awe of encountering his first sparkler. I am fascinated by the idea of suspending time and secretly believe that documenting his growth and his self-discovery in my paintings will in effect keep him young forever. Mine forever, I guess.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?

Well it has made me more patient for one and I see/experience time much more in terms of the long term since I don't feel particularly in control of the daily schedule. I am the zig to my family's zag. When there is a shortfall in anything I fulfill it. Also I will confess here that I don't always keep the cleanest house these days. 

Have different ages of your children been more difficult to make time for artwork and in which ways?

I would say now that he is 8 we are closer than ever to hitting that "sweet spot",  that balance of having his company while still getting things done in the studio. He is pretty much self-sufficient and interrupts me a lot less than he used to during my studio time.

 How do you encourage your son to be artistic?

My son has had a hard bound sketch book since he was 3. Every year he gets a new one in his stocking for Christmas. I try and carry it around everywhere in my purse. He works on it when we are at appointments and at restaurants etc. When he comes up with his bright inventions (which he does all the time) I encourage him to draw them out. He also spends hours every day building his own little worlds made out of Legos. 

Do you feel extra pressure as an artist to raise your son to be artistic?

No, I feel more pressure to make him bilingual to honor his maternal roots as a Cuban-American. And because I am an artist who also teaches art, I know that I can teach anyone to have good skill artistically speaking. However, having that drive to pursue it professionally is another matter entirely. If he wants to be an artist, he simply will become one. 

In what ways does being an artist make being a parent harder or easier?

Hmm, that is a great question. I guess I am often a little too serious when it comes to art making. We don't spend much time making crafts for instance. I think in that regard I could and should loosen up a bit.

Do you think being a parent affects the way you are perceived as an artist?

I have not encountered any stigma attached to being a parent and an artist. I will say however that I think we artists who are also mothers can at times be too hard on ourselves. I expect my career to grow at the same rate as my child. It is difficult to pursue both professions at the same time--that of being a mother/primary care giver and that of being an artist. I would much rather fail at the latter attempt than the former and with any luck history will see me as having been great at both.

 

www.lagoarthurstudio.com