An encouraging Artist Parent interview with Louise Brook @louisebrookcreative @louisebrookwildlife, an artist from Middleton Cheney, Banbury, UK.
Tell us about yourself?
I am a single Mum to a daughter, aged 11. While being a single parent can be tough and adding in a creative business (or two) definitely means a lot of hard work and long hours, I wouldn't change it for the world.
I discovered my creativity relatively late in 2019 after leaving my corporate career in sales and finance to prioritise being more present for my daughter as she grew up. In 2021 I moved out of London to a small village on the Northamptonshire / Oxfordshire border to focus full time on my art and to have a better quality of life and schooling for my daughter.
I now have two creative businesses @louisebrookcreative (focusing on abstract work) and @louisebrookwildlife (for wildlife and pet portraits).
How has being a parent had a positive impact on your artistic practice?
My daughter is the entire reason I discovered my creativity. Success in my corporate career could not compensate for missing out on her childhood, so I left with no idea of what would come next. I took up colouring for mindfulness, as a way of dealing with anxiety and depression and, having seen me "colouring in", it was my daughter's suggestion that I draw for her that began my artistic journey.
I find there are a lot of parallels in parenting and art: focusing on the process and not the outcome, allowing mistakes and encouraging play are all important daily lessons for life, parenting and creativity. My daughter has her own dedicated space in my studio and, when we get the opportunity to create alongside each other, it is always so refreshing and inspiring for both of us
What are the challenges you have faced in your artistic practice being a parent?
Time is definitely my main challenge. I am always mindful that I left my corporate career to be more present for my daughter, so I squeeze my studio time in during school hours and admin tends to happen when my daughter is in bed, mainly in the very early morning! Logistics, particularly around exhibitions and events, is also difficult as a single parent, so I try to be organised and plan ahead.
I have to accept that at the moment there aren't enough hours in the day for all of my creative ideas (or even a fraction of them) and so I need to prioritise and choose projects carefully. Gradually, as my daughter grows up and becomes more independent there will be more space for my creativity, and I'm content with that. Childhood is short and I am lucky to have found my creativity when I did.
Any advice for other Artist Parents and how they can continue to nurture their practice?
Being a parent is both rewarding and all consuming; the same can be said about art. Balancing both is definitely a tough call! My advice would be: be flexible, be realistic and prioritise creative time together, if possible.
Creativity is so important for wellbeing and often overlooked in our society. As artist parents we have the unique opportunity to be role models for the importance of creativity, which I believe, in turn, will lead to long term benefits for the health and wellbeing of our children, as well as our wider circle of family and friends. When things get tough, I find that reminding myself of this ripple effect can be really helpful.
Is there anything else you would like to say, share or promote?
As a parent, it is so important to lead by example. Becoming an artist, aged 40, after a completely different career demonstrates to my daughter that it is possible to follow your dreams. It also highlights that you don't need to decide on a life path early, if at all. What you want and need from life can, and will, change and that's OK. It is more than OK, it is what makes life interesting.
Thank you to Louise for sharing her story and thank you for reading. If you would like to read more stories or for your work to be shared then follow and tag @artist_parent on Instragam.
Uploaded 31st October 2024