September 10, 2019 –
I am going to be attending an artist retreat, hosted by artist Kaylan Buteyn and the Artist/Mother Podcast. I cannot wait to meet fellow artist mamas and immerse myself in this very important artist’s community. THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!
Eight years ago, I left my corporate career in pharmaceutical research to become a full-time mom and artist. Becoming a mom was much harder than I anticipated. The constant duties of caring for a tiny human being were coupled with post-partum depression and anxiety. Then my oldest son was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called an arachnoid cyst. He had to endure two brain surgeries to reduce the size of his cyst. Life was overwhelming and difficult, but beautifully-all-consuming at the same time. Needless to say, any dreams of pursuing a career in art were put on the back burner for several years.
My oldest son is now 8 years old, healthy, and thriving. In addition, my youngest son just started half-day kindergarten. Therefore, I’m FINALLY able to commit time to my art career. I have always loved art, but in 2018 (at the age of 38) I finally began to refer to myself as an ARTIST.
The Artist/Mother Podcast has been a godsend. Kaylan does an amazing job at interviewing artist at all different levels in their careers. The one common denominator is that each of these artist are also juggling and interweaving their responsibilities of mothering young children. Like I said, THESE ARE MY PEOPLE! My art career may still be in its infant stage. However, I have the passion, love, and determination to help this baby grow. By attending the Artist/Mother retreat, I hope that I can join a community that will support this growth. I’m so excited!