I think there is a little bit of a misconception about the life of an artist. I have often been asked if I spend my days leisurely catching up with friends and drinking cups of coffee at fancy cafes, now that I'm a full time artist. Um, that'd be great, but 1) I don't have the time and 2) I am not casually doing back stroke in a pool of dollar bills..
So here's the deal and a look at a true typical day of my life:-
1) I wake up at 5am. Get dressed in my Gym Clothes.
2) Feed my dog (so that she doesn't annoy everyone else in the house now that she's awake and wants to be fed and they are all still asleep)
3) If it's cold I am typically slower to start, but I then make my way to my local gym. Do a weights work out.
4) Half hour to 45 mins I pull up in my carport, turn my car off and write my to do list for the day. I then meditate for 5-10 mins. YES ALL IN MY CAR!! Why... because it's warm, it's quiet and there are no interruptions. If I don't do it right then and there, I will never do it.
5) Go wake up my kidlets, who are old enough to make their own breakfast, but sometimes I will make them something warm and quick. I then go for a 1/2 hour run. Well actually it is more of a shuffle... I am not fast, but I don't care.... the only person I'm competing with is myself. I listen to podcasts during my gym session and my run. This is my own personal growth time, as I'm constantly learning something new every day when I listen to a podcast.
6) Come home, throw a load of washing in and take my kids to the bus stop for school. This is 7.30am.
7) Take my dog for a walk along the beach for 1/2 hour. I am by no means a fit machine. I like food and wine/alcohol too much. I look at other girls at the gym who having amazing bodies and tell myself if only I gave up all of the good things that I enjoy so much, I could possibly look like them too. But aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh... I do like cheese/sour cream/meat/carbs and wine just too much and am not prepared to give those things up (yet).. maybe one day I'll get there, but for now, I'd rather exercise more, so I can keep eating my cheese ;-)
8) Come home make a green juice and check out my emails/social media and respond to anything that needs addressing.
9) Normally by then it's 9.30 and I start my painting.. whatever that is, whether it's working on a background or painting my girls or a tree... whatever. I stop at 12 for a bite to eat, check Social Media/Emails again, then carry on. Normally while I paint, I listen to some sort of educational video on youtube. Sometimes I'll just listen to something nonsense if I'm just not in the mood to think too much (eg a cooking show).
10) I will start to work on dinner about 3pm, because by 4 I have to take off for Bunbury (1 hour drive away). My kids go to school there and have after school sports/programs 4 x days a week (so no bus home). We don't typically get home til after 5pm and they are normally ready to eat a table leg or two, so I like to have dinner pre-prepared. We do the family thing, and generally they will start their homework by 6.30pm. I go back into my office and normally continue to paint. If the kids need help with their homework, then they will come and ask.
11) I'm in bed most nights by 10pm.
12) Rinse and repeat and this includes most weekends.
Please believe me when I say, I'm not complaining about what I do - I LOVE MY JOB!! But if you do by some chance happen to invite me to a social function and I say no, it's not because I don't love you, it's truly because I have to be disciplined about my time, especially in preparation for my upcoming Solo Exhibition in July 2015.
There are also other things that need my attention during the day - business related/phone calls etc etc. But typically I will paint or do business related things for about 8-9 hrs per day.
SO there you have it. A little dull for most people, but hopefully it dispels that myth of what I mentioned above - eg coffee dates and catch ups.
Love this above and found this on Pinterest via Sortacrunchy
As Always
Thank you for popping by
Nat
xx