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Children
The responsibility of raising kids can be overwhelming. The list of daily tasks –making lunches, taking them to school, going to soccer games, helping them with homework – goes on and on and every day can feel like groundhog day. As my collector Deede told me when she looked at the pile of clothes in her kitchen, “It never ends, Kate!”
Taking care of triplets boys is a tall order. Just ask my friend and collector Deede. Her six-year-olds Walter, Cannon, and Tanner keep her very busy. Last year I had the privilege of painting portraits of her boys and getting a brief glimpse into the crazy, fun, and exhausting world of the Sherman Family.
I wanted to know more about what's it's like to be a mom to triplets, and Deede was kind enough to offer her insights. When I asked her how she had changed since becoming mom, she said the greatest impact it has made is on her priorities. Before she was pregnant, Deede worked many years establishing a career, and she her husband Scott assumed she would go back to work after her having kids. But when they found out it was triplets, they decided it would be best for her to stay home. Her priorities shifted and it was now her main job to care for these new boys.
Deede considers this new calling a blessing and a privilege. The greatest lesson her parents taught her about being a mom is to be present. Be the one who teaches your children right from wrong. Be the one who kisses their boo boo's. Be the one who tucks them in at night, says their prayers with them, and wishes them sweet dreams. Be the one creates a safe and loving environment in which to learn, explore and be able to make mistakes without fear.
The mission of my business is to help parents like Deede cherish those fleeting moments of childhood through my work. By capturing their children, I help families experience deeper and more meaningful relationships. Their children know they are loved and valued.
I enjoy each and every commission I paint and the children and families I work for. My work is about a lot more than the paintings I create. I serve a greater mission that's about upholding and nurturing family relationships.
What could be more important than that?
I recently asked my collector and friend, Jenna, to talk about what she’s learned as a mom to three young kids, Jennings, Hayden and Clyde. This is part of a project I'm doing where I'm asking the moms whose children I paint to share the wisdom they've learned from motherhood. I've loved hearing their answers. It's been really eye-opening and I wanted to share some of their insights with other moms.
Jenna, like all moms, faces the daily challenges of raising children in our world. Her biggest worries are about their welfare and happiness – physically, mentally, and spiritually. When I asked Jenna what being a mom has taught her, her number one answer was patience. Lot and lots of patience.
Patience not to fly off the handle at her kids. Patience to get them to their various activities on time and make sure their homework is done without pulling her hair out. Patience to resist the urge to do everything for them.
Being a mom is a tough job. I once heard a mom say that it brings out all your weaknesses.
When I asked Jenna to share one piece of advice for a mom-to-be she said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Everybody says it, but they grow up too fast. Savor it!”
Jenna knows if she's too busy worrying about the little things, she'll miss out on just enjoying her kids. She wants to savor each moment. Patience helps her to slow down and remember what's important, so she doesn't wake up one day and realize she missed out on their childhood.
Last Saturday my collector Betsy brought her daughter to my Saturday in the Studio monthly event. I painted a portrait of Callie when she was eighteen months old. I hadn’t seen her in two years.
I was blown away by how much she had grown, and it reminded of Jenna's advice – to savor the precious time when your children are young because they grow up so quickly.
Moms, what's one piece of wisdom you'd give to a mom-to-be?
This month I hosted a Back-to-School painting party for moms and kids to bring their backpacks, TOMS, or school supplies to decorate.
It's part of a new series of events called Saturday in the Studio, which will take place on the first Saturday of the month in my private live/work studio in the South Main arts district. It's open to anyone who joins my email newsletter.
The results were amazing. I was absolutely in love with Callie’s hand-painted TOMS. This girl’s going to have the coolest kicks in school, no doubt.
Among the guests who attended was my friend Julie, who is the assistant curator at the Dixon, and her adorable two-year-old daughter Marie.
Marie used her superb painting skills to create this abstract piece.
It’s a privelage for me to help moms and their children celebrate their relationships and make memories. That’s the mission of my creative enterprise and the fuel behind my work.
I remember how important it was for me to have parents who supported and fostered my creativity, so I love helping others do the same.
After the activity, I took the girls back into my studio to show them where I work. As a young girl who dreamed of one day being a full-time artist, it would have meant a lot to actually visit a working artist’s studio and paint with her.
Streets Ministries is a place where you can hang out, have fun, and learn about the love of Christ. For many kids in Memphis, it's a place to call home. I've had the privilege of being a mentor to fourteen-year-old Jasmine at Streets for the past two years. I get to witness first-hand the impact they are making on the lives of children in Memphis. Because I've been so inspired by their work, I wanted to use my art to further their mission.
Thus, Faces of Streets was born.
Faces of Streets is a series of ten charcoal portraits of Streets kids I'm doing for the fundraiser this spring. The portraits will be presented alongside the story of each child and will be donated to the families of the children.
I believe that so many of the problems in our world are caused because kids are growing up in broken families. Jasmine, for instance, lives alone with her mom and has virtually no relationship with her dad. Forget music lessons and play-dates, sometimes it's a struggle for them just to keep the lights on. Without Streets, Jasmine and kids like her won't have the support and stability they need to reach their full potential.
I'm fortunate to help families who provide wonderful homes for their kids. The children I paint know they are unconditionally loved and valued.
I want these kids to have the same experience of being honored in a work of art and to know their lives matter, every bit as much as the lives of the kids I'm commissioned to paint. I want to inspire people to get involved, because unless we step in and help, nothing will change. These kids need us.
