Looking back on a Year in the Life of an Artist Mama/ Mama Artist

The turning of a year. 

A year and a half ago I began an experience that was completely brand new to me and expanded over the course of three calender days. Nothing in my life had truly prepared me for it or could even compare to it. Once begun there was no way out. It made me feel the most base and animal like I have ever felt but resulted in a uniquely glorious human outcome. I was stripped of all abilities to please, pretend, be in control or be accommodating. It was an experience that was in no way original and yet was uniquely mine. In short, I gave birth to a lively baby boy and in turn gave birth to my journey of being an artist and a mother or, a mother and an artist, or wife, artist, mother, maker- artist, wife, mother, maker, daughter,  - wife, mother, artist, friend, daughter, maker.... and I thought getting married years ago was an identity crisis!

[my worlds coincide as I use the diaper box to ship out etsy book orders at Christmas time]

The move to California this summer has brought many new experiences/challenges as well- primarily returning to a full time job while working to keep the etsy shop going, trying to engage and be patient with my super active toddler and day-dreaming about making art again. As much as I fought the idea years ago, I'm willing to say now that all the parts/interests of me can still exist at once, but can't all be the primary focus at the same time. I'd like to think I could strike a balance between all these identities, but I think it's more productive to think about them more like planets in orbit. My full-time art making season will come around again. In the meantime I'm ever grateful to my husband, Sam, who has stepped in to help with the shop and be the primary parent while I'm away at the office during the day. We are making our way in this new corner of the world together, and that's a good thing, every day.

these days, they pass

this week, will close

this season, it ends

I hope to do them justice

to be present as I'm able

to acknowledge them as unique

to remember what came before

to be open to where I am

to envision what could be next

Happy New Year everyone!

Delicate Utility and Apartment Therapy- You Know, we're like best friends now...

You know, some days you just need to feel found in the world. And a small nod of recognition can really alter your day. And then, there are days when you don't just get a nod, but a GIANT SPOTLIGHT of Warm-fuzzy-feel-good glow comes and illuminates your tiny corner of the world. That sort of captures my day.

A few months ago I sent off one of my Ipad mini cases, a little leather pascale notebook and a handwritten note to the guru of style and all things cool, Maxwell Ryan over at little website by the name of Apartment Therapy. {To say that I drool profusely over their content might be a slight exaggeration, but not by much.}

I knew the items had been received but hadn't really heard anything since so I figured I would just chalk it up to a nice gesture and hope they were enjoyed. But then tonight, while checking my shop stats on etsy, what did I find but that one of my item views was linking back to Apartment Therapy. A few clicks more and there did my eyes behold the glory of inter-web prized real estate, my notebooks in the Maxwell's Daily Find section being recommended to the world by the man himself. My little maker heart has been sent aflutter and my hands better get stitching.

A big thanks to Maxwell and to my good pal Nelly Domig who planted the idea (and probably made the personal pitch to make this happen)!

New Work: My Brain Still Functions!

"CA 1" ,9x12" , mixed media on canvas board.
© 2014 Susan Springer Anderson 

Hello again! Ten and a half months post baby and almost 2 years away from paint- I'm back to work! In my little make shift studio I've been working on a new set of collages for about two weeks now, and I can whole heartedly say that this is the most normal I've felt since finding out I was pregnant. My brain is actually functioning creatively and I feel more alert and in-touch with the world than I have in ages! 

There's lots to catch up on from the last year of silence on this blog. Over the next few weeks I'll tell you about our journey from New York to California by way of Wisconsin and I'll follow up on a post I wrote about the possibility of having children as an artist a few years ago. There's much to say, but until we're all caught up, here are a few (not so amazingly lit) images of the new work and one in process. It's good to be back!

"CA 2" ,9x12" , mixed media on canvas board.
© 2014 Susan Springer Anderson 

"CA 3" ,9x12" , mixed media on canvas board.
© 2014 Susan Springer Anderson

The base layers of paper and paint being interwoven and arranged before being glued into place.