I would not be working anywhere near the field of art if it weren’t for my mom.
I had one of those mothers who enrolled me in every extracurricular from piano to dance to golf to art.
Piano … I did okay and took lessons for years. Dance … Still my favorite performing art and can get lost in it. Golf … I think I lasted 3 holes when we finally got on the actual course. Enough of that.
But art classes? That was my jam. I couldn’t get enough and Mom paid attention. She signed me up for everything she could find. And always encouraged my pursuits without questioning, as so many parents do, where it might lead.
At the same time, Mom had her own interests. She was a professional volunteer who seemed to have her hands in everything.
When I think of all the artist-mothers who give up on their art to focus on children, I am sad. I recall what a blessing it was to have my Mom and her life outside of me as an example. It still inspires me.
Elizabeth LeMaster, my guest for this episode of The Art Biz, has, like so many of us, more to balance than her studio practice and business. She has a family. A young family. A big family. A growing family.
How do you find time for working on your art when you have 6 kids under the age of 8? 😳
Elizabeth and I talk about how she has done it because she wanted to share her tips with all artist-mothers out there. She is also very honest about the bumps along the road.
Here’s my special Mothers’ Day conversation with Elizabeth LeMaster.
Listen
Highlights
06:12 Selling her art through a focused audience and relatively small subscriber base
10:06 Adapting art practices around motherhood
15:44 Strategic systems for productivity
19:51 Embracing the artist’s life while parenting
36:28 Elizabeth’s Artisan Christmas magazine
40:32 Elizabeth’s future plans
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Not as consistent with nurturing your list as Elizabeth is?
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Mentioned
Artisan Christmas magazine
Photo Tip
If taking photos isn't easy, it isn't going to happen. Choose your branding to include the colors of your favorite sweater or house dress so that when things happen, you can prop up your phone and snap it. Crop out what you don't like. Lighting matters more. This is while we were turning our garage into a bedroom. Dropcloths on the floor, drywall and shelving leaning against the walls, but it was where I was. Plunk the kitchen sink plant on the top of the lumber stack, and voila! Do with what you've got.
Elizabeth LeMaster Quotes
“I don’t actually paint during nap time very often anymore, because if I can get everybody asleep or quiet, that’s gold.”
“When you have more than three children all of that for me came crashing down. I couldn’t juggle all of that until I completely rebuilt all of my systems.”
“Children are such a blessing and it’s such a joy to be able to take these kids and get on their eye level and say, ‘How do I want them to respond as an adult and teach them how to be good adults.’ ”
“If your priority is your kids, then make a no painting zone.”
”If I don’t get enough painting, I’m grouchy.”
“I consistently get in time on the business every single day, but I’m consistently making art every week.”
“People on Instagram, if you’re missing, they don’t notice. If you’re missing off your newsletter, my people notice.”
“Don’t give up on your God-given gifts and abilities because that’s where you will find that refilling and refueling that will do for you so much more than scrolling and Netflixing and all those other things where we go to be amused.”
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About My Guest
Elizabeth LeMaster works in both watercolor and oil to paint the beauty and light in roses and motherhood. Her #1 goal is to encourage mothers. She has sold online, in the Goddard Center art gallery, at artist led pop-ups, and at local arts and crafts shows. She is also the editor of the Artisan Christmas magazine and grows the peonies and roses you see in her paintings.
Follow her on Instagram @lemasterartistique
