Sometimes I get asked how I do it ALL.
The honest answer? I don’t.
The perception that I do it ALL- is basically because someone saw me do SOMETHING.
When you are looking after kids, you do a lot, but it’s not really visible. And then you step out of your house and say AHA! Check out what I made! And everyone loves you, because they know its really quite an accomplishment to make ANYTHING happen, when you are knee deep in laundry.

What they don’t know, is that I just sort of climb over the laundry, and lunge for the paint brush, with a kid on my head. And then, I paint. And that, folks, is how I do it.

So. Its not a secret recipe, but here are 10 things I did that help me get SOMETHING done.

1. I put my easel in the kitchen.

Its not there anymore, now its in the bedroom. (Because the kids are bigger, and they like to jump off the back of my chair onto the bed (don’t tell Daddy) while I paint.) But I do remember, many days, with a nursing baby strapped to my front, a paint brush in one hand and a pancake flipper in the other. I did a whole painting series that way.

The moral of the story is: there was a time when I thought I needed space, and peace, and quiet and a place to sit while doing my work. But right now, I’d rather just make it happen however I can – and putting my art space in the middle of the action, actually makes it possible.

2. I put away the oil paints for the watercolours.

Choosing the medium is important. I had to change what I did because, well, oil paints stink and they are messy and there is no way I could leave in the middle of it to change a diaper. Whereas, watercolours sort of like to be left alone to dry. A lot.

It was a sacrifice in some ways. But hey. I love what I am doing, so not so bad. I also decided to work on paper because storage is impossible in a tiny house. The paintings are small, but now I can do more of them.

3. I schedule time off

Sometimes you need to schedule time to do your SOMETHING, and sometimes its so much fun and so engaging you need to schedule a break. I find it hard to do that. But I try to book time just for the family. (And not just stare at them blankly when they talk to me, because I am thinking about which colour works better with orange.)

4. I always cook dinner.

There are a couple chores that I just can’t forget. Though I would love to paint right through dinner time, I know what hungry children do to the drywall, and I just can’t have that sort of mayhem. I have found that dinner (actually eating in general) is an important part of of our daily routine. I know. Genius.

5. I Say NO.

About 6 times a year I get a pang to learn to knit. Its so strong I can hardly stand it. Its actually almost as strong as my desire to pick up the crochet hooks and make my new baby a blanket, or to rejoin the Philharmonic Choir. Did I mention I want to join a swim-team, or start running? I also would love to volunteer at the school, and learn the piano.

Gah. Sometimes (actually, all the time) you JUST. HAVE. TO. SAY. NO.

So, I paint little pictures. And that’s that.

6. I love what I do

Yeah. That makes it so much more fun. Of course we all compromise. There is work I do for a pay-cheque, but I am fortunate to be able to do artwork just for me. I found that dedicating time to things I really love has led me to more things I love and narrowed down my list of loves. If you know what I mean.

7. I think about what I do…

when I am not doing it. I find that, I often sit down and whip off a drawing quite quickly if it has been in my thoughts for the past few days. If you can’t be actually doing your SOMETHING all the time, you can be preparing for it. And then when you do it, you’ll be much better at it. I think.

8. I realise my limits

yup. My other hobby is architecting eco-modern cabins in the mountains. Yup. thats a pretty awesome hobby, except that I don’t usually have plots of land with stunning views just lying around. Or $300,000 cash. Or a backhoe. (But if you want to give me one, lets chat after:) That hobby will have to wait. So instead, I paint.

9. I involve the kids (sometimes)

Sometimes my kids paint too. My 6 year old also loves working with 3D design tools on the computer. And sometimes I let them use my scanner, or camera. Sometimes. They are pretty excited about the kids books I make and often ask questions about the people in them. They totally get it.

10. I share what I do,

I get so much encouragement from people. I often am shy about what I have done, but the response I get from friends is overwhelming and supportive. It keeps me going. It also helps to share my difficulties and my hang-ups. That way it keeps it real. Doing stuff and keeping it to yourself is sort of lame, and gets old. SO LET IT OUT!!! We’ll be nice.

OK, thats it! My latest project is a book I am fundraising for. You can see it here: http://rkthb.co/6680

Be creative, and have fun peeps.

Thanks! Angela Rout.

www.angelarout.com

Click here to see the posting and support my project: Rockethub – My Grandmother’s Cabin!!

This book is written for mothers to read to children. It is a book about healing, and the mystery of spiritual and physical health. It avoids being didactic or specific to a religious philosophy, but allows families to open the doors to discuss their own approach to the sacred and mystical. It is written as a comfort and a solace to mothers who work so hard they often forget to look after themselves, and who, like myself fear those moments when life is more than we can handle. This book is a reminder that there is help and support for us in ways we may not know about or even understand, and that we are always loved, even when we don’t have time or energy to care for ourselves.

As you can imagine this book is very close to my heart and I have been investigating various ways to produce it, and get it to people who will really benefit from it. After reflection and research I have decided to self-publish.

This has been a tricky decision, but I have grappled with the following issues over the last few months. In the end, I have decided that using an online fundraising program in combination with self-publishing will be my first attempt to get this book to people who want it

Reasons I am considering self-publishing:

• All I hear is how difficult it is to find a publisher, especially if you haven’t been published before.
• I am not sure that if I found a publisher that they would really back the vision I have for this book
• I am not convinced having a publisher will actually translate to more sales
• If the book is useful to people, then there is always the chance that a publisher will pick it up at a later date
• I am impatient, and want to print my book sooner rather than later
• I want to explore other ways of distributing the book – particularly internet marketing and entrepreneur start-up initiatives like “Kickstarter” (Which, by the way, is not available to Canadians, but I am researching alternatives…. )

Reasons I am tentative about self-publishing:

• I am nervous about distributing the book, more than printing. I want it to go to the right people, who really need it, and I don’t want to waste my time getting lost under the piles of other books at big-box stores.
• I am nervous that self-publishing will reduce the production quality of the book. I am really aware of printing quality, image reproduction, paper quality, the look and the feel. I really want the book’s production to do justice to the ideas in it.
• I am scared of investing a lot of money into printing the book and then being unable to sell or distribute the books to cover the costs. I DO NOT want to sit at trade shows and try to sell my book. I like doing workshops, focus groups, facilitated discussions and art classes, but I don’t want to to be nagging friends to buy my book!
• I want to find agencies, community groups, networks and people who identify with the ideals of the book and partner with them so that that we can mutually support each other. I’d love to work with professionals who work in women’s health, in parenting training, or in family support work to find ways that the book can enhance programs they have.

That said I am really excited about moving the process forward. I have the text and 14 paintings completed for it and am working on the final images, the typography, cover, layout and all that jazz.

Any ideas/support or suggestions about the issues I’ve brought up are welcome.

2 years ago, in my basement studio I had booked a painting workshop with a family for the Grandmother’s birthday. It was the first time I was to have such a large group in my studio. There was the Grandparents, and their 3 kids, spouses, and 3 toddler children. All to work on two large canvases. I was nervous. How was I going to facilitate this family? How was everyone going to have a chance to paint and participate? Would there be one person dominating the experience? Or would they all be looking to me to do everything?

Half an hour later I was experiencing a truly unique thrill in art. There was a baby in the middle of the painting making dainty dabs, 2 fathers were knee deep in yellow and orange and green, swirling paint on a string and asking their mother-in-law if it needed more or not. A grandfather who’d never painted in his life was adding colour in careful drips and dabs, raving about how much fun he was having, and claiming this abstract painting should be in a gallery to sell for over thousands of dollars.

Everyone left happy, vibrant and the painting is a marvelous representation of that families unity. It proudly hangs in their modern home and they all brag about it when guests come over…”Look! We painted that!”.

That experience changed me. I saw the potential of paint and canvas and that is is so much more than just a medium for personal expression. It can be like a light of unity for families.

3 years ago I started my own business helping families paint together. I have held workshops for toddlers, babies, parents, couples, and grandparents to all work together to create pieces of art for the family. It was definitely a learning curve. I am an artist myself, and have always been passionate about teaching art to people, but this idea of having families paint together brought it to a whole new level. In this capacity I had to learn to facilitate, encourage and often mediate families, as well as call on my painting knowledge and expertise to problem solve, provide simple techniques and ideas to help people create something beautiful, as well as meaningful.

Through trial and error I came up with both some painting techniques that work with even the least experienced people, as well as some mediation and facilitation ideas that are simple, keep everyone on track and help everyone feel unified. If you apply these steps you will create a piece of art with your family that has been a part of building unity in your family.

In the next few articles and videos I will be posting real ways that you can have this same experience with your family.