Painting Parent- David Cunningham

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

4- 10, 8,5,4

How did your artistic career begin?

I always loved to paint, draw and make things…I just never stopped. 

What is your Parenting/work/art situation?

I have my kids half of the time, so I do a lot of the work on the “off” weeks.  I am a professor too so during the summer and breaks is when I am most productive.

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

Nights after bedtime, but usually on my off weeks or during the day over the summer

Do your children get involved with your art?

Not really.  They come to openings and like to see what I am working on, but other than that not really

Do they inspire aspects of your art?

Well, I do like to make work that they think is interesting.

How has having children changed your artwork?

I have had to let go of my perfectionism both in my work and in my work schedule.  I just do the best I can when I can…If I waited for the stars to all align to work and have to have everything “perfect” I would never work/finish anything.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?

I have an amazing partner that works part time and does a majority of the housekeeping and cooking which frees me up to work.  She is a life saver.

Have different ages of your children been more difficult to make time for artwork and in which ways?
It seems that the older my kids get the easier it is to make work.  The baby years killed me in that none of my kids slept through the night so when I got a break all I wanted to do was get a quick nap in.

How do you encourage your children to be artistic? 

 I draw with them…we draw on a dry erase board together….and of course there are trips together to museums.

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

I battle this idea.  I want to encourage and equip them for their own dreams, but they do have abilities…secretly I would love for them to want to do the hard work needed to be really great but that hasn’t happened…yet J

Have you seen your children take inspiration from your artwork?

They have copied some of the doodles I do…other than that no.  They like doing their own thing.

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

I think that for me I have two jobs…teaching and as an artist.  I am really busy and sometimes I am pretty distracted.  

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

Well, I do know that being a parent really has limited the amount that I am perceived.  I have to choose between time making work or promoting myself…making work wins most of the time.  I have also passed up a number of opportunities because of my responsibilities as a dad.

Losing Inspiration, and how to get it back

There seem to be triggers for me that cause me to lose track of my inspiration. When I was pregnant with my third daughter I felt a strain on my painting ability and applying for Architecture jobs has thrown me off track at least twice. My husband has been looking for a new job for over a year now and several times I have decided to send out resume's myself.

It always leads to doubts and fears about my painting and parenting roles. Will I still be able to make time to paint if I get a full time job. Have I been wasting my time trying to pursue a portrait career? Will I work long hours and miss out on important things with my children? Any major change raises so many questions. When I get to this point it seems like I suddenly forget what I am doing when I try to paint. I cannot decide what to work on and when I do paint it does not come as naturally as it seems to at other times. I get frustrated and start to question every thing.

The Question then is how do you get the feeling of inspiration back? The answer seems to be just show up and work on something. Even if it does not turn out to be my best painting ever or even if it is something I immediately wipe out and never let anyone see I have to do something, anything until it comes back.

I am currently delving into my Bargue drawings since I know exactly what needs to be done even if I do not have the process perfected yet. It is developing the skills I need and challenging me without bringing the frustration of not having an idea or a project to work on.

 

I am currently drawing in my Kitchen with dinner on the stove and surrounded by dishes that need washed and clothes piled in the laundry room that need folded. The kids have been pretending with Legos for hours on the dining room table. However the need to get back the feeling of knowing what I am doing is so strong that right now I just need to show up at my easel and wait for the inspiration to find me there. 

Painting Parent - Stephanie Deshpande

"Solidifying"

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

I have one daughter, and she is 13 years old. 

How did your artistic career begin?

When I was young, my mother would sign me up for art classes at the Danforth Museum in Massachusetts.  I enjoyed painting, and it came easily for me. As a teenager I spent hours drawing and painting on my own. I painted self-portraits, still lifes, landscapes, and copied reproductions of John Singer Sargent’s work.  When it was time to decide what to study in college, I thought that majoring in painting seemed too good to be true; however, I figured, since it was what I did best, I would be most likely to succeed in the face of competition and challenges.



What is your Parenting/work/art situation?

Despite my optimism going into college and graduate school, once I graduated I realized that the job opportunities in New York City for an artist were limited. I found a job as a graphic designer instead of the teaching position I had envisioned myself doing. My daughter was born in 2001, and I continued to paint in my free time for a few years. But in 2005 I took a four-year hiatus from painting after feeling isolated from art world and not knowing what direction my art career would take.

What inspired me to start painting again was the vibrant art community I discovered on Facebook. After discovering all the talented artists whose work I admire, I realized I couldn't let go of my passion. I currently work full time as a Production Manager at a financial company, but this gives me the freedom to paint what I want and not worry about making a living exclusively by selling my art.

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

I paint approximately one painting per month in addition to smaller alla prima studies. Since I juggle many responsibilities being a single mother, I let my mood dictate what I work on.  I usually work on a painting for a week or two, devoting all my free time to it until it’s complete.  Then I’ll take a break from painting and focus on my daughter, friends, and other interests.

Sleeping Child 30x24

Does your child get involved with your art?

Before 2005, I mostly painted my friends in narrative compositions.  I have a few paintings of my daughter as a toddler, but it wasn't until 2010 that she became my primary model.  She was nine years old at the time and had a knack for performance as well as a natural ease posing for me. “Child Sleeping” was the first painting out of a series where she is the main figure.

 

Does she inspire aspects of your art?

My daughter has a great ability to position herself in precisely the way I envisioned. Of course, being a child, it was sometimes hard to keep her engaged while I fussed with perfecting the setup.  Recently, however, I witnessed a new change in our dynamic.  Now she wants to contribute her own ideas.  In my painting, “Let the Cards Fall,” I originally planned on having her sit at a table holding cards in her hands.  As I photographed her, I could not get the composition to look the way I pictured in my mind. So, we tried a few other ideas.  Then out of the blue she suggested letting the cards fall on her while lying down.  This couldn't have been more perfect.  I was happy to have her rebellious nature break some of the safe conventions I had been using.



Let the Cards Fall

How has having a child changed your artwork?

I would have never thought to paint children if I hadn't had my daughter. My paintings, however, are not about children. The themes are about human pathos and derived largely from personal experience.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?

Since I only have a limited time to focus on painting, I decided that I wasn't going to feel guilty about not being actively involved in other activities. My priorities are establishing myself as an artist and raising my daughter.  Although being more involved in my town or daughter's school would be nice, I decided it really didn't matter in the end.  I love having an orderly home because when everything is in order I feel more inclined to paint, but once I start working on a painting, all my focus is on it.

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

There were many factors which contributed to my 4-year break from painting that were not directly related to being a parent; however, now that my daughter is 13, it is much easier for me to paint since she doesn't need constant attention.

How do you encourage your child to be artistic?

When she was first born, I was determined to veer her talents away from art to math. I would sit in the park and review a math workbook with her, hoping it would increase her analytical skills. I thought it would be better for her to get into a more lucrative field.  She drew very interesting pictures as a toddler, but without any interference from me, she became more interested in gymnastics, singing, and performance.

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

"The Fall"

Since painting is my strength, I did want to pass the skills I have on to her. A number of times, I encouraged her to paint or draw, but she wasn't interested. She has a talent for drawing cartoons and has a better imagination than I do, but she doesn't have the love for fine art that I had when I was a kid.

Have you seen your child take inspiration from your artwork?

I once heard on the radio that in a study of identical twins they found each twin developed unique skills despite their similar genes and environment.  It was hypothesized that when one twin was good at one skill the other twin felt compelled to find his or her own path.  Since my daughter doesn't have any other siblings and we spend a lot of time together, I feel like this dynamic is happening in our relationship as well.  She sees painting as my activity, and has never expressed interest in doing it herself.  She has many talents and skills I don't have, and I believe she will go in a direction that best suits her personality.

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

Being an artist may make it harder to be a parent because art is time consuming and often done in addition to another job.  Inadvertently, one may not focus on the child as much as a parent whose primary interest is raising children.  I hope having my own goals and ambitions allows my daughter to be self-reliant, and shows her the importance of following her dreams. 

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

At this point, most of my favorite artists have children, so I don't think it affects one’s perception of the artist.

Painting Parent -Terry Moore Strickland

www.terrystricklandart.com

matter deep publishing http://www.matterdeeppublishing.com/

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

Kyle 28, Carly 25, Amy, daughter-in-law, 28, Will, future son-in-law, 26



Amy, Kyle, and Carly.

How did your artistic career begin?

I was an illustrator/graphic designer with a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Central FL. My first career job was in the imprinted sportswear industry, think T-Shirt designs back in the heyday of screen printing, designing for zoos, surf shops, Sea World, Busch Gardens, Kennedy Space Center, the Smithsonian, and many others. My last commercial job was for a publishing company that specialized in board games and books. I had some interesting jobs in between, including courtroom sketch artist for the Thomas Blanton, 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. Turning forty made me reevaluate my life priorities. I attended the University of Alabama in Birmingham for three semesters, to refocus on fine art. I began making large figurative work, entering regional shows and devoting myself to painting full-time. By 2005, I’d given up my commercial work entirely and have never looked back.



Did having young children influence when you made a career switch to being an artist?



Will as The Mariner

I made a career choice to go into commercial art because I knew that when I had children I could go freelance and be able to work a round their schedule. I switched to painting full time more for self fulfillment. I had always painted on the side but knew I had more in me that needed to be expressed, and that I deserved the chance to see if I could make it painting. I honestly did not know if I would like doing it full time. but I love it.



What is your Parenting/work/art situation?


We love our current parenting situation. Our kids are so cool! They are young adults and live nearby for now. We make the most of having them around by hosting a weekly family dinner night where we all get together, even the pets. Our dinner conversations are stimulating, touching on matters of art news, social issues, publishing, politics, feminism, pop culture and everyone’s latest project. In fact, in 2011, as a family we launched Matter Deep Publishing as a result of a dinner table conversation. We realized we had in the family elements of everything we needed for a publishing company, and we all had work we wanted to publish. Carly was graduating with an illustration degree, and Kyle had a professional writing degree, both from Savannah College of Art and Design. Amy, also a SCAD graduate, had written a young adult book, and I was working on The Incognito Project and wanted to do a book about it as the last element of the project. My husband, Dan is also a writer and we are about to publish his first novel. We’ve published Carly and Kyles’s children’s books, a novel by Kyle, and young adult novels and urban fiction by Amy. Will has written a children’s book; Carly has designed art show catalogs including from the Women Painting Women shows from the last few years.


Amy, as Athena

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

I work every day, juggling the duties of a studio artist, gallery artist, painter of commissions, small business owner, teacher of two classes at Forstall Art Center, and Matter Deep Publishing CEO and editor.

Do your children get involved with your art?

They are beyond supportive, I would call them, and Dan, integral to the process. They are amazing models and I have painted them many times. They have a great eye for art and I rely on their critiques for concepts and painting. They have definite ideas about what makes provocative work and feel free to share with me. They don’t know how to fix a problem but see things clearly so i can tackle it. We all work together on everyone’s projects. Dinner night frequently evolves into brainstorming sessions about everyone’s current projects, our individual ones as well as Matter Deep’s. With some families, this might be too much togetherness, but from the beginning we have encouraged everyone to have identities and interests that are separate from the family.

Do they inspire aspects of your art?

Watching them change and grow has inspired many paintings. I’ve done work about coming of age, choices made in life and the inevitability of turbulent change. These are all things present in my life and made clearer by my observations of their lives.

How has having children changed your artwork?

Being a mother has given me life experiences, strong emotions and much to think about. All of those things, the good, the bad and the ugly get translated in to work. Motherhood is the great joy of my life, and about so much more than changing diapers, braces and funding their college education. It’s about the relationships with my children and now our growing family with my daughter-in-law and future son-in-law.



Husband, Dan in Mad Science

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?
I delegate where I can, and make art a priority. I am in a sweet spot with the children grown as far as time to work on my career. I started seriously painting when they were in their teens, and they were thrilled to see me excited about the work. My husband has always been super supportive too and would take over kid stuff at night so I could work or take a class.

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

Of course the baby stage is time consuming but finding good child care is always an option. I was a member of a baby sitting co-op when my kids were young. It included many mothers who worked freelance or part time, and to this day my best friend is someone I met through the co-op. Having a partner in parenting is crucial. I was lucky to have a husband that never thought spending time with the kids was babysitting. His good relationship with the kids is a testament to that attitude.



Kyle as a knight for The Incognito Project.

How do you encourage your children to be artistic?
When they were young we did a lot of art projects with them, theater, writing, etc. We let them explore whatever they wanted to do. Now, with the publishing company we encourage the same thing.

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

No, we let them do their own thing, and encouraged them to be passionate in their pursuits. If anything, we know that being in an artistic field is a tough way to make a living but I think they are somehow hardwired with creativity, so maybe it was inevitable.

Have you seen your children take inspiration from your artwork?

Yes, it is interesting to see threads from our conversations show up in the writing, in one ofmy paintings or one of Carly’s illustrations.



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

It’s important to realize that we are in an age now where the younger generation is realizing that parenting is a a two person job. Men want to be part of the experience. I read Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg recently, and she brilliantly explained how it is doable for women and men to both have a career and have their lives enriched by children. Women can have children and not have to put their career life entirely on hold. For this to happen we must continue the important work for pay equality, healthcare for everyone, and family maternity leave for men and women. We must raise our boys to support the women in their lives, not solely as financial providers but supporting her choice of career. Girls need to be taught to expect and ask for those things as their equal right as a human. Being an artist is a difficult career, yes, from a financial aspect it’s tough. However, there is a flexibility in the life of an artist that lends itself to parenting.

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

Maybe, especially since I came to the fine art world late. Now however, I think the work speaks for itself and most people come to know me after knowing my work. I have had people tell me that they thought my work was done by a man. So maybe my gender is more surprising than my status as a parent.

How have each of your children felt influenced by your artwork and what they have learned from watching you develop your career as a painter?



Carly as The Seamstress

From daughter Carly: I think Mom's work itself has definitely influenced my own art. She tends towards realism and narrative work, and I think you can say that about my illustrations as well. I think the biggest influence on me though, was her willingness to make art *with* us when we were children. We'd sit at the kitchen table and paint one week, make clay sculptures the next. We'd talk and laugh and she'd teach us advanced techniques that we thought were super cool. It taught us that the act of creating is fun and collaborative. This is something I think we brought into adulthood with Matter Deep. Every project we make for the company has everyone's input and everyone makes their mark on it somehow.

The main thing I've learned by watching her career develop is that no one can read your mind. If you want something, an opportunity, a gallery show, a learning opportunity, you've got to ask for it. Take the chances you have. You'll never regret trying an opportunity, but you might regret letting one go. http://www.carlystricklandart.com/

From son Kyle: That's a really hard question to answer. To get at how I was influenced by my mother's work would be to imagine life without her. Art has become such a huge part of who I am because of my mother. It has helped me with critical thinking, creativity, and overall my appreciation for the beautiful and the sublime. Without being raised by my mother, I would imagine the world as a really dreary place. ( a link to Kyle book Mars 01 http://www.matterdeeppublishing.com/book/mars-01 ) http://www.kylemstrickland.com/

From daughter-in-law Amy: From the first day Kyle showed me Terry's work, I was in awe. So seeing Carly and Kyle walk up to a painting in progress and go, "Nice. The eye is weird" and watching Terry give a frustrated groan and then set to fixing it—I think that has made it much easier to give and take critique as a family. If someone so talented can gracefully accept feedback and make changes, and Kyle and Carly are never hesitant to give it, then I know that our family is a safe space to bounce ideas around and become stronger together. http://www.amyleighstrickland.com/

From Will, our future son-in-law:
The primary thing that strikes me about Terry's career is that she never stops thinking about it. She loves her work so much that when she's not in the studio, she's fantasizing about being back in the studio. Any topic of conversation will relate to her paintings somehow. In fact, she turns every experience into a learning opportunity to further her development as a painter. For example, she found some spiral nails while gardening, which fascinated her with their texture of rust and caked earth. Unsurprisingly, those nails showed up in her smaller studies, months later. That kind of single-minded dedication to her profession is her most inspiring quality. It is clear to me that she has chosen her work because she finds a greater appreciation for life through it's practice.






Children's Book by Carly Strickland



Painting Parent - Meredith Andersen Hannon

Meredith Andersen Hannon

How did your artistic career begin?
I am self-taught artist and began my career in college by turning my bedroom walls into a canvas. Inspired by impressionist masters, I decided to try my hand at painting a full-sized mural of an Italian seaside village, and with the encouragement of family and friends, expanded into painting walls across Northern Virginia. Over the years, I've switched to working almost exclusively in oils on canvas as a full-time artist.

How has being pregnant affected your art making ability?
I found out I was pregnant right before I had my first solo show (thankfully my brand new dress fit for the opening!), which was perfect timing as I had a large number of pieces stocked up. While I have been blessed to feel good enough to paint throughout the entire pregnancy, I took for granted how much physicality is required in the painting process. As a result, I've slightly reduced my actual painting hours, but in the meantime used that time to focus on organizing, researching, and creating a strategy for running a business with a baby!

Georgetown Skyline, oil on canvas, 24"x36"

When do you make time to do your art and do you have a regular art routine?
Painting is my full-time job, and so I try to keep normal business hours (as normal as they can be running your own business). During the weekdays, I get up with my husband, we eat breakfast together, and when he leaves for work, I go up to the studio and start my day. Given that I maintain my studio in the home, I usually start dinner and wrap my day up in time for when he returns home. Of course, there are times when I am working on the weekend or attending art events in the evening hours, but I find it important to maintain a routine that mimics corporate world hours since I lived in that world for several years before quitting to run my art business full-time and therefore am accustomed to those hours.

Has pregnancy affected your painting inspiration? Have you felt more or less inspired?
To be honest, the whole idea of having a baby is exciting but very overwhelming at the same time, and a cluttered mind does not help the creative process. So there have been days when my inspiration to paint has been quite low. That said, I love Stephen King's quote “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” The same holds true for painting. Sometimes you just have to get up and start painting whether you want to or not, but on the flip side, the idea of showing my daughter that she can be a loving mom and wife and run her own business at the same time inspires me in incredible ways to get past any mental blocks.

Have you made any changes to your painting process because of being pregnant?
I tend to paint large pieces, so framing and moving pieces has become more cumbersome, as well as the things you don't think about like how using an air compressor and staple gun to stretch canvas isn't probably good for baby's developing ears. I may or may not have once strapped a pillow around my waist to muffle the noise! Thankfully there was no adjustment in the materials I felt comfortable using as I have only ever used non-toxic paints and mediums, so the only real change has been in my overall productivity levels due to the physical demands.

Capitol Glow, oil on canvas, 24"x36"

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?
It was a huge disappointment in realizing that just because I now worked from home did not mean that my house would automatically be pristine. Actually quite the opposite...being away from the home is the only sure fire way to not be creating a mess in it. That said, being pregnant has forced me to create the habit of spending more time keeping the house organized because I realize that a baby is the ultimate way to bring a house from order to disorder if you let it get away from you!

In what ways do you think being an artist will make being a parent harder or easier?
I think time will be the biggest factor in making things harder. Especially having a studio in my home, it will be harder to separate my work life from home life. That said, I think being a parent will be a great motivator in pushing myself since I want my daughter to be exposed to the art world and to see that it is possible for her to run her own business one day if that's what she feels called to do. My mom ran her own business for years from home and I grew up watching that and always admired it.

How do you plan on working your art back into life after the baby is born?
I have set goals for myself for the rest of the year based on creating realistic expectations in talking to other mothers. I am very blessed to have both my parents and in-laws very close to home, so have a lot of help if I need to meet deadlines as well. In the long term, since I'm due in October, I plan to address how to ramp up to full-time status again once the new year begins and I come up for air after getting out of the newborn phase!

Villa Cipressi, oil on canvas, 24"x36"

Do you think being a parent will affect the way you are perceived as an artist?
Yes and no. Being pregnant in and of itself has been interesting as it's made me realize who takes my career seriously and who thinks painting is a glorified hobby. It's amazing how some people will make somewhat hurtful remarks about how painting will become a distant memory, whereas you'd never hear them make a comment like that to someone whose plan is to go back to the corporate world after their maternity leave is up. That said, others have been incredibly supportive and have made the assumption that my studio will just be a little bit more full of baby things once she comes along! At the end of the day, I realize that with the support of my family and the direction of God, I forge my own path and cannot allow myself to care the way I'm perceived whether positive or negative. Painting is what I am called to do, and while my life won't look the same today as it will a year from now, I know that both my painting life and personal life

Painting Parent - Alison Bell Belt

How many children do you have? What are their ages?  I have three children, 8, 4 ½, and almost 2.

How did your artistic career begin?  I feel like I've always been an artist.  I remember in third grade drawing a picture of myself as a “singing artist” because those are my two favorite things.  I discovered my aptitude for sculpture when I was 21 and fooling around with some Sculpey a boyfriend had left at my house.  It was an amazing moment for me . I always wanted to have art be a large part of my life but it wasn't until after my first year of college as an math major that I realized that nothing else was a realistic option for me.

What is your Parenting/work/art situation?  I'm a stay-at-home mom and I'm home schooling my 8 year-old.  It's rather chaotic around here.  When they were a bit younger, I could take them all to the studio with me, but it' too much now.  I do most of my work at night now and am searching for an affordable, reliable babysitter for one or two afternoons a week so that I can get some more work done.

When do you make time to do your art and do you have a regular art routine?  I used to go to the studio every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and I would like to get back to that.  I also try to attend a Tuesday evening life class regularly.  My husband stays with the children and I go to my studio at night as much as I can.

Do your children get involved with your art?  My boys love to play with my clay and my tools, but it's mostly just making shapes and smashing them at this point.  My oldest son has done a few pieces that are a bit more finished.  My middle son once made a “man” on an armature that was amazing for his age, but he destroyed it before I got a picture. They also adore drawing, particularly my middle son.  He can use up a ream of paper in less than two months.  

Do they inspire aspects of your art?  I'm leaning more toward exploring children's portraiture and figures and my own feelings as a mother.  I never understood why so many female artists tended to focus on those subjects when I was younger, so I find that funny.

How has having children changed your artwork?  I actually have gotten more focused about it since I've had children, probably as a way to get time to myself and also because I see more immediately what little time we all have in our lives to accomplish things.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?  My house is usually a ridiculous mess.  I'm not a very good housekeeper anyway, but I'm always behind now, especially when I have some sort of deadline.   I figure there will be time to have a neat house when the kids are older and not contributing to the chaos.  My husband tries to pick up some of the slack as he can.

Have different ages of your children been more difficult to make time for artwork and in which ways?  Before I had my daughter and they boys were younger, I was able to go to my studio two afternoons a week and take them with me without too much trouble.  Once my middle son started getting into stuff and stopped taking an afternoon nap (around age two), it got trickier.  After my daughter was born, that situation became untenable and I have to have a sitter or go at night when my husband can take them.  As the boys have gotten older, they fight and bicker about toys and computer use more, which is obviously very distracting when I'm trying to work.  That's the main reason for my no longer taking them all to the studio with me.  I'm hoping in a year or two, they will have moved beyond that.  My daughter is a much more laid-back child, so hopefully she'll get with the program.  ;)

How do you encourage your children to be artistic?     I let them use as much paper as their little hearts desire, which is a lot.  I also try to get them quality materials, particularly brushes, and let them use some of my own tools so they don't become frustrated with the process.  I remember attempting to paint things with horrible brushes when I was a child and being so angry with the outcome because I knew that it was because of the brush, not me.

 

Do you feel extra pressure as an artist to raise your children to be artistic?   I feel more pressure to nurture any ability they might have, only because I want to enable them to fulfill their potential.  I worry about pushing them too much and then conversely not doing enough.  I think that's a pretty typical “mom” feeling though. I feel pressure to nurture them if they do have an artistic bent as it's so hard in this day and age.  I don't feel like I was as supported as I could have been, although it definitely could have  been far worse.  If they don't show an aptitude for art, that's fine with me.

Have you seen your children take inspiration from your artwork? My middle son likes to make people out of clay.  I don't know if that's directly from me or just a coincidence.

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

I think it makes it a bit harder in some ways because I think most people view it as a “hobby” instead of a job that's very important to me.  I wonder if people think I'm being selfish or silly in attempting to be successful.I tend to have artist's ADD, and things can get pretty chaotic around here.  I'm a creative thinker though, so it's fun to help them work through problems they might have and to watch them come up with novel solutions for things on their own.

Do you think being a parent affects the way you are perceived as an artist?  I've not personally experienced that, although people always ask how I get anything done after they've met my brood.  I used to take my daughter with me to the evening life classes until she started walking and got too disruptive and felt a lot of support for that.  

Are there any other things about Balancing Painting and Parenting that you would like to share?  I think it's very important for artists to make the time for themselves to do their art.  I find I am a much more pleasant and capable mother when I have adequate time to do my art.  I guess the desire festers and turns into resentment when it's not directed properly.

Painting Parent - Brandon Douglas

www.brandondouglas.net

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

One, three months, Beatrice Ruth Douglas.

How did your artistic career begin?

I’ve been drawing my whole life, but didn’t start painting until about 7-8 years ago. My job affords me a lot of time off and painting was a fun way for me to fill that time.  I think my hobby began to turn down the career path in 2010 when I took a workshop with Mia Bergeron and then really kicked into gear in 2012 when I started painting with Seth Haverkamp. Having such amazing artists close at hand for inspiration and guidance has been huge for me.

What is your Parenting/work/art situation?

I have been a firefighter for about 12 years now and a parent for 3 months. Up until Beatrice was born I had tons of time to paint due to my work schedule of 10 24-hour shifts a month. Now that the little one is here, things have scaled back. My wife also works full time, which leave me (happily) watching Bea all day on my weekdays off. But thanks to having such a supportive and understanding spouse, I’m still getting in a few hours of painting in the evenings after putting the kid down to bed.

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

My prime studio time these days is usually later in the evenings, 4 or so nights a week, as well as all day on my Mondays off thanks to my mother-in-law. However, I always keep a sketchbook with me and will occasionally work on small paint sketches at work on a slow day.

Do your children get involved with your art?

Na, she’s doesn’t quite have the motor control to hold a brush yet. But I count the days until she’s old enough to do all my grunt work, priming panels and such ;) Actually, she’s inspired me to child proof my studio out of fear of her getting too involved with my art. I’m stuck on using lead paint and hazardous mediums, so I modified a locking work bench/tool box to enable me to lock up my paints and brushes away when I’m not home. I even cut holes in the tabletop portion for medium cups and turp jars to avoid accidental spills.

Do they inspire aspects of your art?

Absolutely. Seth has always said his favorite subjects to paint are his children and I totally understand that now. I’ve just completed my first painted portrait of her and am already working on the next. I have a Strathmore tan toned sketchbook dedicated to little drawings of her sleeping and playing that I plan to continue throughout her childhood.

How has having children changed your artwork?

I don’t know that it has actually changed my artwork, aside from giving me new subject matter, but it has definitely changed how I approach creating work. Before Beatrice I could afford to tinker around with whatever little thing I felt like, or allow myself to get lost on the internet on days when I felt less than inspired. Now my studio time is more limited so I have to make an effort to keep myself focused on what I’m working on and make the most of my time.

How does making time for artwork influence other household tasks?

Spending my late teens/early twenties growing up in a firehouse, I’ve always had the view that work comes before play. Even if, as in this case, ‘play’ is work. I never go out to the studio when there are chores still to be done. Before Bea maybe that was vacuuming or wiping down the kitchen, now days its washing the day’s bottles and making tomorrow’s batch.

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

She’s only 3 months old so I don’t have much to analyze here, but certainly her sleeping better has helped. The first few weeks I was too tired to do anything but sleep when she slept. Now that she’s on a better schedule and is (almost) sleeping through the night it has helped a lot with getting studio time as well as a reasonable amount of sleep.

How do you encourage your children to be artistic?

I plan to encourage her to be herself. If she’s artistic, great, if she’s athletic, that’s great too.

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

The only pressure I feel right now in relation to my life as a parent and as an artist is continue to make time for my pursuits as an artist. I feel that setting that kind of example while inspire her to chase whatever dreams and goals she may have, artistic or not. If she decides she wants to draw and paint I’ll certainly do whatever I can to gently encourage her and give her whatever instruction and guidance I’m able to provide.

Have you seen your children take inspiration from your artwork?

There’s a painting I did of my wife hanging in our house that Beatrice loves to stare at, if that counts.

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

I don’t know that specifically being an artist has any effect, but I believe any parent who is committed to something their passionate about, be it painting, writing, woodworking, exercise, whatever, is going to have a harder time as far as time management goes, especially those of us who’s passions don’t pay the bills. However, I think that part of being a well-rounded, happy human being is pursing the things that make us happy and give us an outlet. And to be a happier human, I feel, makes one a better parent.

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

I don’t know. I don’t really know how I’m perceived as an artist as it is. I don’t feel like I perceive other artists with kids any differently than those without. My hope is that my work is what influences people’s perception of me as an artist.