Maybe it would be good to just be “Artist”

I keep thinking I want to change the narrative of what I paint. Instead of being known as an artist Mother, or as an artist who paints domestic scenes and motherhood…

Maybe it would be good to just be “artist”. But then I realized it wouldn’t be the whole truth, it would only be half of me. Less than half, really.

I don’t want to be just half of myself, and I definitely don’t want to portray myself as only one thing when in fact, I am more than that.

I am actually more than both terms, artist and mother, and yet it’s these two terms that seem to identify me. At least at the moment.

I keep thinking that if I don’t change the narrative and become just “Artist” then I won’t be taken seriously. I won’t be seen as Artist with a capital A, but instead just artist. Just mother. Just woman.

But as I sit and really think about my life, my image, my identity, I am profoundly grateful.

I work in the studio where my children play.

I play in the studio where my children work.

I live in the space I create and I create in the space that we live our lives.

I built this, with my husband and my family by my side, and it’s truly a beautiful thing.

Now, that being said, some day the narrative will ultimately change, because I will ultimately change. We all grow, we develop new ideas and new lives and new identities as we age.

Eventually I will paint something other than my children.

But for now, this is my story, this is what I want the world to see, this is me.