Carve Out Time for Art

While in college, I had two female professors who gave the following advice:

1) If you are thinking you will paint out in your yard, while the children romp and play- I will tell you, life as a woman artist is not that.

2) 9 out of 10 art students will never use their degree after they leave college.

I mostly avoided art for 15 years after college. I had a successful sale career chasing all the glittering things a corporation can dangle in front of you in exchange for 70 hours a week of your life. I was torn between wanting “stability” and health insurance- and missing my soul which was time in front of a canvas painting. Life was good, and life was hard- and it was scrubbed clean by job loss and a divorce.

After remarrying, I was struggling to find my way as both a mom and artist. The way forward wasn’t clear- not after college, and not after having my second child. I juggled painting during nap time, and shared my studio with the little ones (I loved having them there sharing my paint!). I listened to Savvy Painter Podcast, and followed other female artists on Instagram- and came across the Carve Out Time for Art community, and the book “The Motherhood of Art” by Marissa Huber and Heather Kirtland. It was the first time I had ever seen stories of contemporary women in art doing the work. And by the work, I mean all of it- Art, Family, Self, Partners. I felt like maybe I wasn’t as alone in this as I thought- and a more powerful thought- I can do it too.

So I painted, and joined art groups. Entered shows, and got the rejection letters. Painted some more- changed diapers, ran to preschool, worked overnight baby shifts- painting in the minutes between everything else.

When I joined Instagram I found it was the perfect social media spot for me. I could curate my community and feed to all the art and artists I wanted. I uploaded photos of work in progress. I followed artists and found a wealth of information, so many sharing their processes and trade tips.

Recently, I applied to be a featured artist on the Carve Out Time for Art Instagram page, and was juried in for a Take Over Day. I loved sharing my story, my work, and having women message and say they had similar stories and could connect with me thru that. It was a wonderful day, and I am so grateful for Marissa and Heather to have created this space for all of us to share and uplift each other thru our journeys as artists.