Your creativity is something worth sharing, especially with your family. We asked 5 mums how their art collides with motherhood, and how their kids influence their artistic expression. Read on and find painting tips for new and soon to be mums and find out how you can inspire your children to love and explore art and craft.
Deb McNaughton – @deb.mcnaughton
Deb describes herself as an artist, mum, dog mumma, wife and happiness creator. Based in Aspendale, Victoria, Deb creates her pieces from the heart, imagination and life experiences. She loves bright colours and her clothing choices tend to reflect the colours in her art.
Has your art style changed after children?
My art journey didn’t start until I had children. I was at home with two babies and longing for a hobby, so I took up painting as a form of relaxation. Little did I know, it would change my life completely and become my full-time career 5 years later.
Where do you gather your inspiration from?
Anywhere and everywhere. I don’t necessarily go hunting for inspiration. Often, I will see a pattern or a colour combination that catches my attention, and I’ll make a mental note to incorporate it into my artwork somewhere down the track. I am also heavily inspired by animal prints and their natural and incredible patterns.
Why is art important to you and your family?
For a start, it is my income. Since committing to leave my day job and go ‘full time’, I have had to work hard to ensure I actually make money to support my family. It’s also super important for my boys (aged 6 and 8) to see that you can follow your dreams and live a life doing something you love. I am living proof of that, and they see it in action every day.
What values does art teach your children to have?
Freedom to express themselves through art and to let their imaginations run wild. Art has no rules and no boundaries, unlike so many other areas of children’s life. Art is an opportunity to be completely unapologetically free.
What are your favourite art or craft activities to do with your kids? And what are your kids’ favourite activities?
My boys love coming into the studio and tinkering with my supplies. They help themselves to aprons off the wall and explore their creativity while I have music playing: no rules, no expectations, just fun.
What are your tips for managing time while being a mum so that you can stay creative?
Haha! I’m the wrong person to ask! It’s a balance I am constantly striving for but yet to find.
What tips would you give other mothers when it comes to getting started with art?
Don’t be afraid to try, and don’t compare yourself to other artists. Everyone starts somewhere. The important thing is to start.
Do you have advice for any soon-to-be mothers on how to incorporate art into their parenting?
If you have the space, just allow your children to explore and encourage creative play wherever possible. Children have the most incredible untarnished imaginations. Watch them and learn from them and enjoy them while they are little.
Kylie Jane – @kyliejaneart
Working from her home studio in Brisbane, Kylie spends her time creating art with acrylic and alcohol ink and being a mum to her boys Jake and Archie. For her art techniques, she doesn’t limit herself to one style as she believes art should be free to explore.
Has your art style changed after children?
I thought I would find a faster style because I'm really time poor now that I have kids; however, my style is actually spending more time on one piece to perfect it. My style is constantly changing as I grow and evolve as an artist.
Where do you gather your inspiration from?
I have always had a strong passion for colours used in interior painting, decorating and design. I also draw inspiration from emotion or events that may have occurred. A great example is COVID. In the year 2020, I painted so many rainbows to lift spirits during the lockdown.
Why is art important to you and your family?
I have always been pretty quiet and reserved as a person; however, I think my art speaks for me and gives me a voice when I cannot talk. It reflects when I'm happy.
What values does art teach your children to have?
My two boys Jake and Archie loved to wander out to my studio when they were little and "help" mummy. I think it teaches them individual expression, experimental learning, and to think outside the box. A kid can learn so many elements through art, such as shape, space, colour, line, texture, and so on.
What are your favourite art or craft activities to do with your kids? And what are your kids' favourite activities?
The closest my boys get to craft these days is colouring in printed pictures of Star Wars or soccer players. I've had to run with each of their interests and turn it into craft. If painting, I’ve helped by handing them one colour at a time, so they don't create "muddy colours", which most young kids love to do, haha!
I came from a family of all girls, so having boys was very challenging for me as I just didn't know how to interact with them. I wasn't surrounded by wrestling growing up, so I didn't know that was normality once they became mobile! Trying to get them to sit still for longer than 3 minutes is almost impossible – they are SO active!
What are your tips for managing time while being a mum so that you can stay creative?
You have to make the time. Swap TV time out for art or do your art in front of that show. Make the time with a friend to attend an art class; it's the ‘in’ thing to do. Create late at night and drink lots of coffee the next day; I think that's the way I do it, to be honest!
What tips would you give other mothers when it comes to getting started with art?
Use art mediums that won't take too long. Drawing can be a great start because it's not too expensive, and you can put it away easily if your kids interrupt you. Attend some workshops or buy a small starter pack from your local craft store. Experiment by finding what works and what doesn't. Follow other artists on Instagram and look into YouTube tutorials – there's so much information out there on how to create.
Kate Biggs – @katebiggsart
Kate Biggs is a Victorian artist and mother of two who has been painting since 2013. She’s inspired by colour, nature, and life experiences and uses her past and present emotions to bring her canvas to life.
Why is art important to you and your family?
To me, art is my therapy. It is a tool that I use to deal with life and is important for my overall mental and emotional health. This applies to my kids as well; I feel that it is important and beneficial for them to have a creative outlet.
What values does art teach your children to have?
Art teaches kids to express their feelings in healthy ways. It teaches them how to solve problems and challenge themselves. My most favourite thing is that it helps develop their intuition, which flows into many areas of their life.
What are your favourite art or craft activities to do with your kids? And what are your kids’ favourite activities?
My kids are both pretty arty or creative, and some of their favourite activities are drawing and colouring. They are both quite talented at drawing! My son has even had one of his drawings in a local art show.
What are your tips for managing time while being a mum so that you can stay creative?
This can be a tough one depending on where you are in your motherhood journey. When my kids were really little, I created more as they would play on the floor near me. As they got older, it was harder as they were running around, causing chaos! My main tip is just to be where you’re at, meaning take whatever time you can when you can and go with the flow. It can be hard to not feel resentful during these times; however, it does get better as kids get older, which was always in the back of my mind.
What tips would you give other mothers when it comes to getting started with art?
To just start! My journey started with paint by number sets then onto step by step painting books from the library. It was very basic, but it was a great way to get started. Grab a sketchbook and just start doodling, and it will progress organically from there. Creating in this way can be super cathartic too!
Do you have advice for any soon-to-be mothers on how to incorporate art into their parenting?
Involve your kids in your creative practice. Once they are old enough, you can set up a little area for them to paint, draw, make a mess, etc. Not only will it allow you to get some time in on your own projects it will be a great starting point for your kids’ creative journeys. Creating together with my kids is a really special bonding experience that we all enjoy.
Megan Walters – @megan_wally_art
Megan is an internationally collected artist, a primary school teacher, and a mother to her beautiful daughters. She loves that art teaches her daughters to interact with the world around them and provides them with a mode for self-expression and communication.
Where do you gather your inspiration from?
I’ve always loved bold and bright colours. For years, my bedroom walls were painted an insanely eye-popping canary yellow. Since beginning to paint, and as my aesthetic eye has ‘matured’, I like to try to explore colour and texture in a number of ways, and I guess you could say I’ve scaled down the brightness a little – well, sometimes. I love experimenting with different mediums and discovering hidden surprises in tiny pockets of my paintings.
What are your favourite art or craft activities to do with your kids? And what are your kids’ favourite activities?
My two young daughters love to use coloured scrap paper, boxes, egg cartons, paper cups and plates and other bits and pieces in ‘craft play’. They use their imagination to make some really interesting and creative pieces. I love to watch my daughters paint their hearts out - mixing colours, making mess and jumping into a creation with no inhibitions and no fear of ‘failing’.
What are your tips for managing time while being a mum so that you can stay creative?
As I work almost full time, I don’t often get time to paint in daylight hours – that is until the school holidays come around. I usually paint at night time once my girls have gone to bed, and I more often than not stay up far too late and regret it the next morning. If you really love something like I love painting, you’ll always find the time.
What tips would you give other mothers when it comes to getting started with art?
I would encourage anyone keen to begin painting to buy yourself some supplies and allow yourself to just play. Play, play and play some more. Not every piece you create will be a ‘masterpiece’, and that’s okay. Our ‘ugly art’ is important as it allows us to evaluate what we didn’t like and try something different next time. It’s how we learn, grow and develop.
Do you have some hacks to make the clean-up process easier?
I am yet to have a dedicated studio space (although I am getting one soon! Woohoo!) My supplies have always been kept in tiered caddies – I wheel these in from the garage next to my dining table, where all the magic happens. My most used cleaning up tool is a packet of baby wipes! I even used them to spread paint around on a canvas every now and then too!
Do you have advice for any soon-to-be mothers on how to incorporate art into their parenting?
My girls love to use watercolours as well as using everyday items during ‘craft play’. Keep things like cereal boxes, straws, patty pans, plastic lids in a tub along with some other craft items such as feathers, stickers and oodles of glue and sticky tape.
My biggest piece of advice is to join in and play. Model for your child how to join things together, or to solve a problem if one attempt didn’t work. Focus on the enjoyment of the art making process – not just the result and HAVE FUN!
Kirsten Bayes – @kookookachooart
Kirsten is a Perth based artist who dabbles in both watercolouring and acrylics. When not working on the canvas, she plays around with visual effects by layering her work on glass, bringing her pet pictures to life. She also uses art to bond with her two boys, Reefe and Tate.
Has your art style changed after children?
I think having children changes your view of the world, so it’s definitely affected my art. Children see everything with such wonder and curiosity, and even small things we take for granted are amazing to them, so I think having them has helped me have that approach to life more. Notice the small beautiful things and really appreciate them, and that comes through in my paintings.
Where do you gather inspiration?
Being in nature feeds my creativity, the ocean, the bush, animals; I find them all really inspiring. Music can also really inspire me. It helps me focus on the painting and express the feelings in my work.
Why is art important to you and your family?
I think art helps us to see the beauty in everyday things. At one point in my life, I realised that I bought pieces of art at really big moments in my life, so art can help you work through difficult things because a piece of artwork you love tends to have something in it that reminds you of something or you can relate to. I also think it’s so important as humans to be creative in whatever form you like. It brings a lot of joy and satisfaction.
What values does art teach your children?
My boys are both autistic, so they like things done a certain way. I’ve found that art and craft teaches them that things can be different and still beautiful. And we all have different ways of express ourselves, and that’s ok.
Favourite art and craft activities?
Tate, my youngest, loves cutting and gluing, so we often make different animals and things out of cut-up shapes that they can stick down. Reefe likes drawing and colouring and recently is starting to enjoy painting. I love doing activities with them that are simple and use the things we have lying around to make animals.
Tips for managing time?
Every day we have a set time that the boys have quiet time (or TV time) to rest and have some time on their own. I usually use this time to paint.
Tips to get started?
Just set aside a little time each day to do what you love, and you find fills your cup a little. Try and start with something small, not too hard and easy to clean up, so the whole thing doesn’t become too overwhelming.
Advice for soon to be mothers on incorporating art?
Kids love doing new things. If you always have pencils and paper handy for them and encourage a little bit of time doing it, they soon start to love it. They are so proud of something when they’ve been able to draw it or make it, and if you praise them for what they’ve done, they’ll always be happy to do some more.
