In the last few months my focus has shifted dramatically...I guess that will happen when you have a little one. I love being a Mammy, all the smiles, gurgles, coos, leg kicking and arm waving by far outweigh dirty nappies and sleepless nights and you know what I don't even mind them that much either! That said, I am also at the stage of not wanting to forget who I am alongside being a parent. My passion is art...making, creating and absorbing art are the things that fire me up, that make me feel alive. The last couple of weeks I've been wanting to get back into the studio, I want to get my hands dirty. Although, that doesn't really happen with the work I make these days, but you get my drift! I can feel this pent up energy and frustration in not doing anything creative. So, my goal is to make time for myself, even if that's an hour to sit down at my desk and put my hands to work.
I'm not sure how other women juggle being an artist and also a mother, particularly at this early stage? Maybe I'm being overly adventurous in wanting to get back into my art, when I have a 5 month old Baba to care for. But I'm afraid if I don't begin soon, I'll get used to sitting on my hunkers always waiting for the right time and space that I need, without actually carving it out for myself.
A friend of mine is having a fund raiser for Haiti and asked would I donate a piece of work to raise money. Now, I could go the easy route and hand over a piece that I did last year, or I could take it as a challenge and create a new piece. Based on all I've just said, it would be daft of me to just take the easy way out...so I'm going for it. I've prepped R about taking the Little One for a day here and there so I can focus on spending time making a new piece of work. In the greater scheme of things it may not sound like a major challenge, but amidst the feeding, nappy changes, early mornings and night wakings, time is of the essence!
So, I've got a deadline...over the next few weeks I'll let you see how I get on!
