Returning to the studio after baby…
It’s been a wonderful summer with baby Ona and the rest of our sweet little family. She fits into the fold in a way that just seems to make sense. Not only that, we have been graced with a child who has been sleeping through the night since probably 6 weeks old. Maybe two months at the most. Have you ever heard of such a thing?! She is an utter wonder to behold. There are few things that are tricky, for sure, but to be a new mother getting 6-8 hours so quickly postpartum is a wild fantasy.
I’m feeling good with the exception of the typical body image concerns… I am currently leaving strands of hair wherever I go and losing gobs of hair in the shower when I wash it. If you don’t know this… women do not *just* go through the 9 months of extreme body metamorphosis, then obviously the painful and often traumatic episode of childbirth, followed by months of physical and emotional recovery typically up to a year. You also get to lose MASSIVE amounts of hair at about 4 months postpartum! It’s all really good for your self esteem.
But, hey, you didn’t come here to hear me whine about my summer body and my alarming amount of hair loss. I’ve got big news! My maternity leave is ending soon and I’ll be returning to the studio with more projects then a single person can probably handle. This is my way. So long as I can break things down into bite sized steps with the most important first, then I will manage.
First up, holiday offerings! I have to get on those first so that they are ready in plenty of time for those early shoppers. I will start with holiday greeting cards of one design, possibly two, for sale in 5x7 packs. A “holiday hopeful”- I’d potentially like to offer printed linocuts of a single design that can be framed as gifts. Lastly, I’ll be selling off the older designs from last year at a sale price. All of this will be for sale on my Etsy site, which is currently down while I continue my leave.
Second, I’d like to keep plugging away at a lineup of small gallery paintings that will be offered on the shop as well. I hope to work out some solid concepts that are reminiscent of my illustrative work, but are intended to be enjoyed as home decor. Trickier than you think! Sometimes (often) an image for a children’s book does not work as wall art. So I plan to flesh out some ideas… so far my jungle creatures have been a joy to explore and I’ve sold a couple from that series already. Encouraging!
Third, I’d like to get some teaching on the books for more workshops or guest lectures. Not to mention, the continuous work of building my email list, networking in person and online, joining art challenges, and developing mailers. The work is endless! But when it lands it is so fulfilling. WILL BE so fulfilling as I begin to gain traction again.
Ona will be going to daycare starting the week after Labor Day, which will be the week I get back into the studio, of course. It’s hard not to feel pangs of guilt as I work to build this career while my youngest is cared for by someone other than myself. I have to believe in the work so much that it erases all doubt because otherwise what am I doing? Someday perhaps WHEN I MAKE IT I’d like to publish a memoir for artists who are also new mothers. What a time for some feelings amiright?! Geez, it is an onion I’d like to tear apart for you. But until then, I’m just going to keep moving forward with the vision I strive to reach. Everyday I’ll be SHOWING UP to make the dream a reality.
