Keeping Your Creative Spirit Alive

I graduated from Utah State University with a degree in commercial and fine art, ready to make my mark on the artistic world. USU was connected with The Art Center School in Pasadena, California—now called Art Center College of Design, one of the top art schools in the nation.

After finishing my education, I was anxious to see if I could compete with other artists in the field. One little hiccup—I got married the week after graduation. This would not have been an issue, but we found out about a month later that we were expecting our first baby. Not a problem, I thought. I can still get out there and set the art world on fire. However, the pregnancy was more difficult than I had thought it would be, and I was extremely ill. Unfortunately, we lost that baby a few months into the pregnancy. A month or so later, we found out we were expecting again. I was thrilled, but very sick. The doctor scheduled an ultrasound to make sure all was well, and surprise! There were two little heartbeats.

I began teaching art at Grantsville High School, but I had to quit when I became too weak and nauseated to stand for long hours. So, at home with extra time on my hands, I sent off my portfolio and was picked up by two large galleries in Montana. I also started doing freelance illustration.

Twenty-two months after the twins were born, we welcomed another baby girl into our family. By this time, we had built our first home, and I made my studio in the unfinished third level of our multi-level house.

A company in southern Utah hired me to do a painting for the cover of their yearly magazine. They planned to send it out to all their stockholders and clients.

Painting with small children was not an easy feat. I could only paint after they were in bed, so I would work from about eight p.m. to one a.m. After I put more than one hundred hours into the piece, it was ready. The people who had hired me were scheduled to pick up the painting. Before they came, I went upstairs to check on my sleeping baby and unwittingly left the door to the studio open and my paints out. I realized what I’d done halfway through changing a diaper, so I quickly finished up and ran downstairs.

There they were, my darling little boy and girl, each with a paintbrush in hand, swishing paint across my masterpiece. I muffled a scream, sat on the steps, and shed a few tears. I realized that being a professional artist and having three small children was possibly not the best idea if I wanted to keep my sanity. Thankfully, I was able to salvage the painting before the clients arrived.

Being a young mother with small children is rewarding and exhausting. So many moms lose sight of their talents and ability to create during those difficult years raising their little ones. It’s important to carve out time for music, art, and literature, as creativity enriches not only Mom, but her family as well.

As my children grew older, I was able to set aside time to work on artistic avenues that fulfilled my desire to create. I taught art classes in the evenings and an art history class at Utah State Extension in Tooele, Utah. Using my talents to educate others was a fun outlet and helped provide my family with extra income.

Here are a few ideas to help keep your creative spirit alive during the years when your children are small.

• Find time to indulge in creative endeavors, even if it’s late at night. I looked forward to the quiet times when my children were in bed to watch a show or listen to music and work on an art project.
• Volunteer at an elementary school. Teachers are always looking for parents to help with the arts, and my kids were so excited and proud to have me visit their classrooms.
• Include your children in your art. For many years, I taught art classes in my home. I did have my children join the classes, but it was easier to have fun with them on my own time.
• Take your family to art-related activities to teach them an appreciation for the arts. We visited many galleries and sculpting studios. I did this more with my two younger children when the older kids were involved with other activities.
• Encourage your young children to be creative and unafraid to experiment with new mediums and ideas. I found if I made art materials available to my children, they would be free to create in their own ways.

Though my attempt to continue with a professional art career while working as a stay-at-home mom ended in catastrophe, I never lost the desire to be involved with the arts in some capacity. Those hectic days have long since passed, and I don’t regret my decision to put my art on hold. For me, being a mom was much more rewarding than advancing my art career. Now I paint for family, friends, and just to enjoy creating art without the pressure of deadlines or critiques.