How Being a Parent Affects My Art
When I finally got the hang of creating art with one kid around, I was pleasantly surprised to find out another blessing would be joining our family. When their sibling came along, I was desperately trying to figure out how I could continue creating with two children now in the picture.
Man, do I miss the days of staying up all night painting or drawing, no anxiety about a child putting something in their mouth or getting into glue or other dangerous materials. Once upon a time, my only worry was getting paint on myself or maybe on a light switch. Now, I have to worry about not getting paint on my kids because I accidentally touched them, or I have to quickly grab them out of harm’s way, or catch them before they grab something off my art table. I still don’t know how I got paint in her hair that day, just glad it was the weekend and wash day was that night.
The good ol' days of creating for hours and having to set a reminder to eat have been replaced by the screams of a toddler and an infant letting me know it's time to stop because they want to eat.
It used to be easier with just one little one while I was in my creative zone. I could include her in some way, turn on the TV, or, if their dad was home, I’d lock myself in a room to start or finish a project. Now that there are two of them, and one is walking… man, it’s a struggle to complete anything. What once took a couple of days can now easily stretch into a week or more.
I also haven’t done any erotic art in a while. Kids imitate what they see, and I’m not trying to have a conversation with a teacher about what my child created during art time at school. That would be… interesting, to say the least lol. These days, I’m doing more portraits and abstract paintings. I’ve also been using clay and making jewelry projects I can easily include the kids in.
Because of the time constraints of being a parent and the very little free time I have, I started doing needle art and knitting. These are things I can do anywhere in the house without the stress of cleaning up after myself or them. I can also multitask and keep an eye on the kids without messing up the art.
One thing I’m especially grateful for is my partner. He understands how important art is to me. No complaints about my art supplies being in random places, and he gives me time to create by keeping the kids occupied. And on days when he forces me out of the house for a break, he’ll suggest I swing by Michael’s or Hobby Lobby to see if there’s a sale. What do people say these days? “My man, my man, my man” lol.
Overall, being a parent affects my art in many ways. But the best part is, I'm still creating and working to sharpen and advance my skills, especially in realism.