Finding the Time
Firstly thank you so much to Karyn for setting up such a fantastic site. It’s exciting to be part of a project involving people going through the same joys, stresses, fun and troubles that I’m going through.
I graduated in Illustration a long, long time ago and only made tentative attempts to work in the field before discovering that hitting the town and working in offices was far too much fun to avoid before settling down with a pencil in my hand. I’m glad now that I did that but I felt quite sad over the passing years that my desire to draw seemed to have died completely. I was surprised and excited last year when the artistic bug bit me so sharply that there was no turning back. I discovered that I was pregnant with my fifth child. I think that the thought of more laundry to fold and more meals to prepare made me determined to achieve something for myself. Housework was taking over my life and I needed a good excuse to ignore it for a while.
The excitement of drawing again made me ridiculously over-eager and when our youngest was only two-months old I won my first commission to illustrate a chapter book (by putting in a very low bid for the job admittedly!). It was pure hell but I was determined and pushed myself to the limits, starting work at 10pm (after preparing clothes and packed lunches for the children for the next day) and finishing at 2am most nights. I was wisely told that this was a very dangerous precedent to set as it would be easy to slip into this sort of pattern of working. I am now working on my second project, a colour picture book and having learned from my first project I have invested in a childminder for our baby to allow me 2 hours three afternoons a week while our twins are at preschool. It’s amazing what I’m achieving in 6 unmolested hours. For the rest of the week I have to fit in the scribblings between meals, housework, laundry and demands from a now 9-month-old teething baby!
I’m still very new to this world and I’m making my share of mistakes along the way so it’s a good time to be starting a blog here because I’ll be sharing my journey from the raw beginnings! I look forward to reading posts from fellow creative Mums.
Lou
Lou, I went through something very similar. After art school, the 9 to 5 world took over and my art took a back seat to an IT job. It became something of a hobby, and was too afraid and broke to try and make a go at it. Also, I did theater at night, so my creative side was fulfilled by acting. The last few years I’ve now been earning a living with my art, but I’m trying to refocus my art to the children’s market, and it’s really difficult to find time to get my portfolio in shape. But I’m working on it.
Hi Karyn. I have a few friends who have had the same too. It’s interesting isn’t it how many of us don’t go straight for the artworld after graduating. I did head out with my folder, phoned publishing houses and met a few agents but I decided that I was having too much fun running around London and dealing with companies and actually wanted to work in one myself. They looked so exciting lol. I then went through that same stage as you where I was too broke and afraid to find my way back to it. It’s great that you had the theatre experience. Sounds as if you made some wonderful memories and what a vivid experience to draw creative inspiration from now. I’ll be padding out my folder again once this project has ended. I joined the AOI last week and they have portfolio surgery appointments which will be useful in the long run. Thanks for your message.