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I have revisited this thread several times, looking for help managing my time. But it is not just time we have to manage. How do you manage your relationships, too?
I did NO art during the 25 years I raised my two sons, alone. In the desperate moments of the business of being a single mom to two active boys I whispered over and over to myself, "when K and K are grown and out of the house, it will be MY TIME, to pursue my passion for portraiture, to larn to draw and to paint. I will be my first priority then"
Well the kids are grown and out of the house for five years now. And I have returned to my art and I feel progressed fairly well in the pat few years (especially since finding this fourm two years ago, thank you cynthia and all those who have helped me immeasurably)
I have even changed my work schedule to four ten hour days so that I have an extra day at home. What I have accomplished time wise is this:
Saturday morning I try to get all household chores done, grocery shopping, errands, housecleaning, etc. On good days I can get to the studio by mid afternoon and have a couple hours...except my fiance wants dinner and to go out at night - when I am pooped.
Sunday I try to take the morning to relax read the paper, Sunday breakfast, time with jack on our new wrap around porch in our new house, church. Afternoon a three or four hour time in my studio wherre I paint or draw and break every 45 minutes to change out th laundry. Sunday evening Jack is home and wants to take our long walk in the valley, or go out on a friend's boat, etc.
Monday is studio day. I turn off the phone, I will not touch a mop or broom, or washcloth or dish soap or even take a shower until evening. I AM IN MY STUDIO . and come 6pm when Jack gets home I am so sad that the day is over.
My problem is that now I am hearing complaints that the house is a mess, I never want to cook, and I am always tired...At what emotional/relationship lengths will we go as artist, to commit to our art and to life partners?
And still, with only about 15 hours to DO art I still wonder how I am going to learn photography?? My studio needs lots of work still, establishing a place to put my model and the correct lighting, learning photoshop, how to photograph my models, building a model stand, shopping for art supplies (mostly that is done on line these days, which is fine) And then after that there are my boys, my grandchildren, my ailing father, my five siblings and all the weddings birthday parties showers work picnics to attend
LIFE IS SHORT, A DAY IS BRIEF. CAN I BECOME AN Accomplished artist and still have A life??? Seriously, there are so many times I think I need to escape Cleveland altogether, take my puppy and live like a hermit, near New York (so I can take Marvin's Saturday classes), but dirt poor, without a job . . .
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