Chris Campbell Posted December 13, 2011 Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 Has anyone noticed this question is posted late ... again?? Yes, a hundred little jobs popped up around the house and sucked up a whole day ... luckily all I have going in the studio is some work drying ... but a hundred clay ideas are impatiently trying to get equal time with domestication. Creativity often has to wait its turn while mindless chores get done. Who else is in the same boat ... anyone? anyone? How do you handle the combination of parenting/daily life and pottery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted December 13, 2011 Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 I'm long past the parenting stage but I had a intercom system that I could hear my son in his room sleeping and when he was about 2, I introduced him to clay first snakes then dinosaurs and fossils. I tried to keep him involve in my studio as long as a could but he was more interested in drums and girls by the time he was 16. Now I just have to give my house a good cleaning while pieces are drying or a kiln is cooling. But I fondly remember those good ole days when I ran my own retail buisness went to school and raised a child, but for the life of me I can't figure out how I did it. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annast Posted December 13, 2011 Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 there is a great documentary film called Who Does She Think She Is? by Pamela Tanner Boll, Nancy Kennedy about 5 women artists juggling their passion for creating art and family. although not all their end results are ideal, it put a lot into perspective for me and made me feel like i was not the only one struggling with the balance. i rented it through netflix, it can be a hard film to get a hold of, but well worth the effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted December 13, 2011 Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 there is a great documentary film called Who Does She Think She Is? by Pamela Tanner Boll, Nancy Kennedy about 5 women artists juggling their passion for creating art and family. although not all their end results are ideal, it put a lot into perspective for me and made me feel like i was not the only one struggling with the balance. i rented it through netflix, it can be a hard film to get a hold of, but well worth the effort. I know the answer to that one, she thinks she's wonder woman or least that's what she's been told. I am lucky I have a extremely supportive husband whose is quite good at cooking, cleaning and fixing things. When we were first married our friends were buying appliances we bought a used kiln as our first purchase together. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Even though I am past the time of watching children-mine are both in their 30's. I have a granddaughter that come to the house every day-she want to learn how to throw. We will get to that this summer I think. I believe that some time soon someone will come up with a camera that hooks into your smart phone to act as a monitor for bedrooms etc. Heck, we could even have miniatures of these put on the kids clothes so that we can monitor where they are. Add a GPS, and you could monitor a lot. All kidding aside, children take up a lot of time, but the time you spend has great return. When you get older in life you won't regret the time with your children, or even your parents. When they're grown, or gone there is no getting back the time you wasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtView Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Glad you mentioned film. It reviews this debate and guilt. As artist and parent... I work every available moment - but prioritize children first - and understand that my plan can change at any given moment. I schedule studio time next to basketball games and parent conferences. I require my annual art sabbaticals of intense arts immersions at workshops. I find that these getaways help me define my work and really focus on year ahead of me, review my themes, and work out forms and ideas. The children are precious, but I don't give everything away. I hold onto the art side of me and honor the training and pensive work time it requires. Daily battle of balancing. Daily compromises. ...but also daily happiness and daily fulfillment. Latest compromise...creating art on a theme revolving around being a parent. HA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeye Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I do not have children except the 4 legged kind and they love to hang with me while I am throwing. BUT I do have a responsibility to make sure they are taken care of, run a small business that includes building componets. At this time I do not make money with pottery so when obligations come up they come first but luckily I find plenty of time to get my pottery fix.. usually! Monday I was up by 6 a.m. building componets and didnt finish them until after 7p.m. I could have spread the work out for 2-3 days but I am one of those people that when I start something I will work long hours and try to do everything it takes to wrap it up. Now I have most of the week to do what I want which so far has been making my own stamps to sign my pots and I am experimenting and working with stainless to make trim tools, not much throwing the last few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobydoozie Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I too, like Buckeye, don't have human children, but have four legged, a 13 year old maltese and a 5 month old cockapoo puppy. I work full time and my wheel time has gone down to nothing with the new puppy. I'm loving the puppy and realize he won't stay that way forever, so I'm devoting as much time to building a strong relationship and training him. But, I look forward to him getting to an age where he doesn't need constant supervision so I can get back to the wheel work. Happy holidays, all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potterjen Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 Has anyone noticed this question is posted late ... again?? Yes, a hundred little jobs popped up around the house and sucked up a whole day ... luckily all I have going in the studio is some work drying ... but a hundred clay ideas are impatiently trying to get equal time with domestication. Creativity often has to wait its turn while mindless chores get done. Who else is in the same boat ... anyone? anyone? How do you handle the combination of parenting/daily life and pottery? I am in the same boat! I have a small studio, teaching classes and finding time as an artist is a challenge for sure-especially when new ideas pop into my head. I tend to pick a day for each activity, ex. Monday- classes, Tues-bills, Wed-cleaning, Thursday- personal creativity, Fri-business banking/bookeeping (this one never gets done), Sat/Sun- shopping and family stuff. Oh, and I homeschool my kids! Every morning I get online though and check out emails and handle class sign ups. Is this TMI-sorry- 2 cups of coffee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceramista Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Hi everybody, This topic graved my attention while I was reading the newsletter. I'm a new member and even newer in the forum. I have an 18 years old girl and a 1 year and 1/2 Boy, they both are driving me crazy! but seriously I can't find a balance to make more art. My last show were made with small pieces only because that's the only thing i could manage at the time. Now my boy is grabbing everything in the studio and pulling my arm down constantly, I can't work!!! I'm looking for a sitter, no luck so far. At least I'm not alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnight_potter Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Yes, this is a question from the real world. I stayed home and created a studio years ago when I was faced with this and only went out to teach from time to time. That is why I learned to be a production potter because I had to sell to continue staying at home in the workshop. The children, cooking and housework I usually attended to in the mornings and then while they were little I used a babysitter combined with nap time to get in studio hours during the afternoons. As school became a regular happening I worked in the studio those hours and did housework, etc., after they came home. I also developed night hours as you can tell by my pen name and still after many yeas I do my very best work late a night when there is no one to bother me. At the moment I am back in school again - so I also work the papers at night and when there is time get into making pots for a few hours as well. Because I could spend those days at home in a studio my children essentially grew up with a stay at home mom, but one who worked her ass off day and night - but I have wonderful children who seem happy, productive and well adjusted and to this day I am thankful I was able to fulfill myself and be around for them on a daily basis. There have been compromises from time to time and I have been frustrated as well but in the end the kids don't care that their mother was a potter - all they cared was that I was there when they needed me and from their point of view I don't think I failed them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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