Brooklyn Lamb

I first heard of Brooklyn Lamb through Bianca Bello's inspiring "Makers To Know" interview series on WildHumm. I instantly loved the photos of Brooklyn painting with her little girl, and reached out shortly after. Painting portraits is not my forte, so I especially admire people who can do it well. She is so talented at capturing the joy of childhood in her portraits of children, and the personality behind her subject's eyes. My favorite part of this insightful interview is this line: "I’ve found that it’s pointless to only work when I feel “inspired”. Read below for more wisdom and a peek into Brooklyn's world!

Tell us a little about yourself. How old are your children? Where can we find you?

I’m Brooklyn Lamb, lover of imagination and portrait artist. I have a 22 month old little gal and another little gal coming next month! I am full time hands on mama, trying so hard to not blink.

Has your approach to painting, your processes, medium, or your inspiration changed since having children?

Being a parent changes the route of your brain neurons in an exciting way, so yes, I can confidently say I am so much more inspired to create now. I’ve come to appreciate that art isn’t just duplicating an exact copy of what you see, it’s about creating an emotion. I’m hoping to be more free in my work from here on out.

Is it easy or difficult for you to find/make time to create? Did you have to give anything up? Do you have advice on what works for you?

I’ve found that it’s pointless to only work when I feel “inspired”. I plan my schedule, and I stick to it. Honestly, I’ve been able to create better work by just being consistent. Most of my cleaning gets done when my daughter is awake. She loves helping and I think it’s important to teach her these life skills in a fun way. But when I can’t “do everything”, I’m OK with the laundry waiting for me, and etc. My husband is a huge help with cleaning so that is a huge bonus. I really don’t watch much TV, or read as much as like I would like to, but I don’t really feel like I’ve had to give anything up because I’m doing everything that I need to do for my well being.

How does being an artist make you a better mother to your children? What do you hope they take away from seeing you as an artist doing something that fulfills you?

Obviously, being a good mom is my first priority. But with that said, I find that by carving time out to paint, I am able to be a better mom. By working on my craft, my soul is able to escape and breathe for a little bit, and it actually gives me the physical and mental energy I need to run around with a toddler all day. I hope that my girls can see that it’s important to do what makes you happy, whether it’s what I do or it’s with music, like my husband, or something else. And to be able to be creative in a way that creates a positive atmosphere for others.

Where do you paint or create? What are your favorite things about your workspace and what would you improve? Do you ever create art with your kids?

I recently gave up my light-filled white walled studio for baby #2, so now I paint in my finished basement, and I sketch wherever I am in my house. Yes, having lots of natural light is awesome, but it’s more important to be happy working wherever you are, and whatever time of the day or night that is.

Do you have any tips to streamline / delegate / outsource household and childcare activities so that you can focus more time on your art? Has your lifestyle changed in any major ways?

It's always nice when my mom watches my daughter for a few hours so that I can focus during good daylight to work on a painting. But really, I like to spend as much time with my daughter as possible, so I'm happy to work when she sleeps during the day or at night.

Do you have any big goals or dreams for your art that you'd like to share? What would be your dream project?

I want to go bigger. I really want to paint on large scale canvases and focus on body movement and color. I have a project in the works for this next year. Stay tuned!

Thank you so much for your time and thoughtful insight, Brooklyn! Wishing you the best of luck with a healthy 2nd baby and balancing those changes into your work!

P.S. Her short and sweet Vimeo video linked above is definitely worth watching!

COTFA

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