Let’s talk about working with a baby in the studio.
To say that working alongside a baby is tricky is the understatement of the year. I have had this little lady as my constant studio companion for just over a year now and it has completely changed how I operate in the studio.
I have had quite a few people comment that they don’t know how I do it or that I am a superwoman. I assure you, I’m nothing special - no superwoman here. I just have a different schedule now and no room for procrastination.
So how do I make it work?
I get into the studio 3 days per week (the days that my eldest daughter is in daycare). On those days, I only work while bub sleeps. Our studio mornings are mostly spent playing on the floor until it’s nap time. Sometimes I can get the odd thing done on the studio bench while she ‘reorganises’ my thread stash, but mostly we just hang out. It’s really a time that I treasure because the studio doesn’t have as many distractions as home. No TV, no laundry, no breakfast dishes to clean. It’s just me and her. She has a few toys and 100% of my attention. It’s really lovely.
Once it’s nap time (and I am very consistent with nap time), the little lady is put to bed in the small room of the studio (aka the junk room) while I get stuck into the ‘work’ of the day. This is the precious time when I get to stitch, draw, mount, dissolve, mold, and do whatever it is that I need to get done that day. I always have a plan and know exactly what I want to achieve in my work time. There is no time for procrastinating anymore because work time is brief and precious. I also need to be ready to stop work as soon as she wakes up, which can be anywhere from 40 mins to a few hours.
It’s a disjointed way to create, but it still works, for me anyway. Every little chunk of studio time I get adds up and I make slow but steady progress if I’m focused and productive with my time. I just have to get used to the fact that something that used to take me a few days to make, now takes me a month (at least). And that is OK.
‘Reorganising’ my thread stash has been the favourite studio activity for both of my girls.
I may still look super busy, and I am, but, believe it or not, I have really cut back this year.
I’m only involved with one exhibition this year (Artisans In the Gardens at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney this October) and I am only juggling a handful of other small projects in between. My commission books have been closed all year (I hope to open them again soon) and I have a huge list of ideas for new works and projects that I just can’t get to right now.
The biggest thing I have learned this year is to say no. No to projects, no to commissions, and no to exhibitions. Saying no has been so hard for me, I usually try and say yes to everything. But I have learned that I need to be realistic about what I can take on and it’s OK to say no. In fact, I think saying no is a very valuable skill for anyone in business to learn.
I know this baby-in-the-studio situation is only temporary and I am going to enjoy it while it lasts. Life is wonderfully busy, but I feel that I have found a good balance - for now anyway.
When I first discussed this topic of ‘babies in the studio’ on social media a few weeks ago I had so many people write to me with their own stories. It was really lovely to hear and share those stories, I think this is something that should be talked about more.
So, are you working (or creating) with a kid underfoot? How do you make it work? Or do you struggle to make it work at all?
Let’s chat about it. leave me a comment below.
Some other things you may be interested in checking out:
A cool art project: The Art After project by Denise Gasser.
I stumbled across Denise’s work on Instagram and I really relate to her artist/mum juggle. Her ‘Art After’ project is great and she also has a lovely blog.
From Denise’s website (denisegasser.com) about the ‘Art After’ project: I began this series in 2014 when mothering and art-making began to feel impossible. I didn’t have the time and energy to make art, but I also knew I would be miserable if I quit. This project is my attempt to reconcile these roles. I make small paintings and only work on each one until I get interrupted, which never takes long at my house! I document the times and interruptions on the backs—little glimpses into life behind the scenes, bum wipes and all. As the pieces accumulated I began sharing the project on Instagram where it has found a global audience and sparked a larger conversation about the challenges and joys of being an artist/mother.
Book: ‘The Motherhood of Art’ by Marissa Huber and Heather Kirtland
I haven’t read this book myself, but it is on my ‘wish list’. it was recommended to me by a few people when I first posted about this topic.
Book blurb: Organised in an engaging, conversational style, this collection is ideal for any mother interested in artistic work and struggling to fit creativity into her busy life. Women can read it start to finish, or pick it up for a 5-minute dose of encouragement they can lean on for balancing family life and art in their own way. Interviews from more than 30 women in various family situations and circumstances provide encouragement and a clear approach to the renewal and upkeep of creative pursuits throughout motherhood. Interview questions cover a range of topics, including vulnerability, smashing mental stereotypes, and tactics for regular creative practice.
Thanks to Gez Xavier Mansfield for these super cute pics of the little lady and I in the studio.
Some other blog posts of mine you may find interesting:
A tour of my art studios (past and present)