Painting with Babies: When Motherhood Meets the Easel

If you’ve followed any of my blogs, you know I’ve always been serious about my art. From the time I could hold a brush, being an artist felt like my life’s mission. But motherhood? Well, that was another story.

Choosing Between Art and Family

When my then-boyfriend asked me to marry him, I was firm about one thing: I didn’t want children. I knew he came from a big family of eight siblings. I was worried about how children would fit into my vision of being an artist. At the time, babies were foreign to me. What would I do with a baby while trying to paint? I couldn’t imagine juggling motherhood with my deep involvement in the art world—or my love for horses.

Two weeks later, he asked me again to marry him, saying I was worth it. He won me over, and after four years of marriage, I decided to reconsider my stance on children. I saw how much having a family meant to him, and I couldn’t deny him that joy. Soon enough, I found myself navigating life with two perfect little boys born 22 months apart.

The Early Years: Playpens, Paint, and Adaptation

At first, it wasn’t too hard to balance painting and motherhood. Babies sleep a lot, right? I would paint while my little one slept, pausing only when he needed me. But as my first son grew more mobile, it became harder to manage. I pulled his playpen into the studio so I could talk to him while I worked. It seemed like a perfect solution … until … I decided to climb into the playpen to comfort him and promptly fell through the bottom!

We didn’t replace that playpen, but I found other ways to adapt. I started doing most of my painting during nap times, adjusting my creative flow to fit around their schedules.

The Studio Without a Door

At this time, my studio wasn’t a closed-off space. It was a sunroom just off the living room. It had no door—only an archway and a half wall separating the two rooms. This setup was both a blessing and a challenge. I had a perfect view of my little ones while I worked. But it also meant there was no way to keep them out of my art space. The sun streamed in through two walls of windows, creating a bright, inspiring atmosphere. It was a constant juggling act to balance my passion for painting with my role as a mother.

When Little Hands Get Creative

As my first son watched me paint, he eventually wanted to try his hand at it. One day, I was working on an important portrait for a local company president. I stepped out of the studio to start dinner, only to return and find my toddler channeling his inner artist. He’d gotten into my palette and was painting over my work with oil paints! The portrait was now a muddy swirl of colors.

There was no saving that painting. But I knew in that moment that this was a defining opportunity for my son’s creativity. Instead of getting upset, I told him how beautifully he’d painted mommy’s portrait and gave him a big hug. After all, I could start the portrait over, but I couldn’t rebuild his budding confidence.

Childhood Creativity: Two Styles, One Heart

My second son was just as eager to paint as his older brother. One day, I took him with me to the park while I taught a private lesson “plein air”. I gave him some paints to play with. A little while later, I looked over to see that he had painted Tweety Bird. And not just any Tweety Bird—it was unmistakably the cartoon character! At that moment, I saw how each of my boys’ exposure to art from such a young age was shaping their imaginations.

My oldest son was meticulous and loved details. He could spend hours working on intricate drawings of spaceships and mechanical designs. His medium of choice was always pencil or ink. He liked the precision he could accomplish with this media. And he was never shy about explaining every part of his creation to me.

My youngest, on the other hand, embraced a more fluid and free style. He loved colors and big brushstrokes, finishing every piece with vibrant details. He was social, outgoing, and full of curiosity.

Talent Beyond Their Years

My boys amazed me with their talent. Teachers often suspected that I’d done their school projects for them. They couldn’t believe kids their age could produce such detailed and precise artwork. Their early interest in creating wasn’t just something they inherited; it was something we nurtured together. We spent hours making clay tiles from scratch, turning tesserae into charcuterie boards and hot plates. We creatively explored in different media, inside and out. Inside we created using paper, yarn, or anything we could find. Outside, we made things out of mud, branches, stones and leaves. Motherhood was so enriching and fun. Art wasn’t just a part of my life—it became a part of theirs too.

Creative Snacks in the Kitchen

Our creativity wasn’t limited to the studio. The kitchen became another place where we could create together. One of my favorite memories was how much joy my boys had in using hors d’oeuvre cutters. We formed cheese, cold cuts, and veggies into fun shapes. They’d pile the ingredients onto crackers. Making elaborate snacks that were as much fun to eat as they were to make resulted. Those moments were as much about bonding as they were about creativity. A shared experience that nourished more than just our appetites.

Testing New Art Projects

My youngest son became my guinea pig. He’d help me test new art projects before I introduced them to my high school students. We’d try out different ideas, and he would give me honest feedback about the instructions. If he struggled with something, I’d tweak the project until it was just right. It was a joy watching his mind work through creative problems. Our time together was laying the groundwork for his own creative thinking.

Creativity in All Forms

With my oldest son’s meticulous detail, there was no surprise that he eventually grew up to be an electrical engineer and Air Force pilot. He still uses creativity in ways that involve precision and invention.

My youngest son uses his creativity working as an Army Officer in American Embassies across Russian-speaking countries. His imagination and passion for understanding people have taken him far.

The Art of Parenting: Nurturing Creativity

Looking back, I realize I never pushed my boys to become artists. Art became an important part of their lives nonetheless. It wasn’t about making them follow in my footsteps. It was about giving them the freedom to explore and create in their own ways. Both of them found paths that allowed them to use their creativity daily. Even if they didn’t become artists in the traditional sense.

That’s what I hope to remind anyone reading this: you don’t have to be an artist to live creatively. Motherhood taught me that creativity comes in many forms. Raising my boys helped me discover that lesson more deeply than I could have imagined.