Dear Reader,
Today I want to talk about selfcare as a parent, as an artist and how being more aware is also helpful to the to the art one produces.
I’ve recently found a new love.
It started by me taking moments to myself on my my balcony in the morning where I just drink my coffee, breathe and try being in the moment and journal at times. As a mom (of a now 7 year old) I had to learn to take care of myself again and not just follow the endless to dos. I after his birth I made it a huge priority to make time for drawing, since I was truly scared of loosing that part of my life. I managed. This already is quite good! I know that many a mom or dad does not find the spare time to keep up with art with all the new things to learn, expectations (outside and own) that come with having a child.
Last year realized I had kind of begun to loose connection to myself. I often could not tell how I was feeling. I felt a bit muted. Just binge watched stuff, drew furiously and operated, often on autopilot. I think I was sort of content but when unconscious the patterns one follows are not always the best, especially for me as a mom in difficult situations I often reacted like my parents did whether I wanted to or not.
Jojo and I had already started to implement habits like taking walks and eating healthier and maybe that allowed for the realization that I also need to check in with myself mentally more.
The quiet moments on the balcony helped me to reconnect and to reassess what I want my life to be like instead of just functioning and floating along.
I’m still not great at taking breaks. I have a little voice whispers that I’m lazy and selfish when I take break but I keep shushing that voice (maybe I should give it a hug and say thank you but I’m fine with out you). I know I’m a better mom, better wife and person when I take breaks, since being more conscious gives me that fraction of a second I need to be able to choose the reaction I want more often.
Now what has all this have to do with finding my newfound love and art?
New Passion
On the balcony I naturally started to watch the life around me more, mostly birds and I had the idea that I want to be able to discern them by sound. I quickly realized that that is super hard XD but I’ve not given up on being able to do that someday.<3
My husband suggested watching the movie The Big Year which is about 3 guys who want to see as many birds as possible in one year and go for the record and now we joke about doing a big year I have become quite an avid bird watcher.
On our walks we keep an eye out for birds and I’ve seen so many new ones I never noticed before. I google them and find out their names and now have this ambitious illustration in mind where I draw ALL the birds I see in Hamburg.
I often get asked where I get all my ideas. Well I get them from paying attention to what is important to me, what brings me joy and life and following these things down the pathways they lead me.
I would love to hear about your hobbies that infuse your art!
Hehe and how could it be different after this long winded explanation of why I now love birds, today’s…
WEEKLY PRACTICE
… are birds! This weeks reference birds . 5 of the less obvious ones I noticed around.
I will continue with sketching birds next week too since there are so many out there :D and it’ll help me complete the BIG YEAR illustration. I will show you here as it progresses!
My last weeks squirrels:
And here are some of your squirrels<3
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By, Annie Rider, Tasha Fairey, Madalina Buzenchi, Herman Iryna
Will you join me again this week? If so tag me on Instagram. I will share some in my stories <3 #schmoescosyartclub
Love,
Schmoe <3
"Floating along" is exactly how I've been feeling. I am struggling right now with 3 little guys to find moments for myself and its so hard! I so often just dont bother and its becoming clearer that I really need to take the time for self care if I want to be a better mom. Thank you for this important reminder!
This so true. I'm a mum of a 2 year old and still very much in trenches of early motherhood. I do make time for art, just like you did. But honestly, not much else. Sometime I'm just trying to get through the day.