Making Art and Motherhood
Hello July,
As my baby nears her second birthday, I can’t help but look at photos from the past two years and wonder (and get emotional) — “How did she change so fast?” And as I reflect on her changes, I’m also thinking about the transformation I’ve gone through in my creative process as a mom. Motherhood has been nothing less than a transformation of my time, priorities, and space. This doesn’t mean I’m a completely different person (though it does feel like it at times), but how I tackle illustration has completely changed.
A little every day
Before she was born, I could wake up whenever I wanted, put on a show, eat meals at my desk, and draw all day long. A part of me thought I could keep up this routine, but the moment we brought her home, that all went out the window. Time naturally revolves around her sleep, feeds, and play. So, where is there time to draw, think, or even experiment with creativity? My solution has been finding a little time every day. This means when someone gives me a break, I TAKE THE BREAK. And when she’s sleeping, and I’m not too tired, I can draw. If I want to experiment, that means trying a new medium alongside with her, like collaging and painting.
Yes, that means the old way of doing things - long marathon drawing sessions and escaping into an art bubble - may not be as accessible. But at the end of the day, I need creativity to feel like me, to feel like I can be a person and a good mom So doing a little each day, which can feel very broken up and clunky at times, is still better than doing nothing. This new process has taught me more patience and the gift of slowing down.
The shape of time
Speaking of slowing down, I definitely can’t finish as many projects as I used to. And that’s okay.
Motherhood has made me more focused on what’s in front of me, as opposed to the season when I could escape into an art bubble all day. Yes, I used to be able to multitask and try a bunch of different things pre-baby era… But sometimes that would mean juggling too many eggs and accomplishing very little. Since time is now more precious and important, I do what feels most significant in the moment. If an idea or sketch doesn’t seem worth pursuing further, it’s now delegated to a “me” in the future, who might find it useful.
Truly, days are long, but years are short. I don’t want to miss my baby’s important moments and milestones for ideas that don’t make sense in this season of my life. Ideas don’t become immediate goals like they used to. Do I still want to try new things? Of course, but there’s no need to force big, time-consuming steps to happen if that’s not where the tide is taking me. Even the little I do now will add up over time.
A different muse
My inspiration these day is very different. There’s a part of me that continually questions, “why do you make art?” and my reason for continuing on this creative journey. But now, I have a tiny little person that bring me new joys and different perspectives each day. Embracing her childhood and wonder has been one of the best inspirations for my work.
She is my every day and I am the artist that is meant to share my life in my own special way. More and more, I’m learning to let that inspiration naturally happen, and to draw these sweet moments before they fade away. The noise, the mess, the color and the fresh air — that’s my now. It’s invaluable and temporary, and I hope I can catch as much as I can.
As always, thank you for reading along! I hope you enjoyed some of my scrambled egg thoughts and film photos I took of my girl when we traveled back to New Jersey for a couple weeks. We really soaked up the outdoors, and I’m glad I was able to take some film photos that she can look back on when she’s older.
Before I sign off, I want to direct you to Save the Children. I would be amiss in writing about motherhood and not acknowledging the parents and children in Gaza who are suffering because of the absolute evil of being starved. In my corner of the world, I worry if we are running low on milk, but I can easily drive over to the store and buy more for my baby. The children of Gaza don’t have that luxury or privilege, and I can’t even being to imagine the desperation and grief their mothers must feel. Please consider supporting Save the Children so that much-needed help can reach our fellow humans.
Warmly,
Christine
Card Art Corner
Welcome to another Pokemon Card Art corner! This time, I’m highlighting some cards with art that reminded me of children’s book illustration. The moment I saw the Fletchling card, I fell in love with how delicate and soft the illustration was. Alternatively, the moment I saw the Gulpin, I loved how goofy and silly it was. I’d love to see some books with these styles.