COTFA

In May 2015 to May 2016, we posted an interview with one artist mother per week to see how having children has impacted their art making and creativity. What followed was inspiration, candidness, generosity, and practical advice.

In 2016, we are looking to all types of artists to see how they find time to create art - some may be parents, others could be retirees, dayjob creatives, late bloomers, etc.

2017-2020 had us focusing on a book project featuring Creativity and Motherhood. “The Motherhood of Art” is now available for purchase here!

Heather Chontos

March 14, 2016 in Artist Mother

"I am a big fan of kids learning to play on their own. I often tell them I am not a circus clown and I can not entertain you all the time. We have plenty of moments and times that are just about us being together and doing family things, but I have to grab time and space where I can. I am always present, but I am a do-er and I find it hard to stop in the middle of things create activities. Luckily my children were raised this way and they get it, they get me, and we do our best to communicate that. It works most of the time." -Heather Chontos

"My situation is unique since her mom and I aren't together as a nuclear family. So I lead two lives really, working artist in existential crisis and then rad dad mode. They are parallel but it doesn't mix in my situation when I have my daughter I'm in dad mode. My time with her needs to be extra special to me, This means my schedule needs to be flexible. I have no advice, I have no idea what I'm doing. My advice would be if your daughter asks to make the stuffed animal talk just make the thing talk because that's all she wants right now." - Mark Pernice