As you may have noticed, I have been absent from the blog recently... and it is partly due to a chock full life schedule and consequently a lack of time to sit and tell stories at the computer. But also hindering it is a personal ambivalence of the direction of my blog. I feel like I am straddling the fence of having an art blog and a personal family blog. Often I feel weird about linking to my blog from my Etsy site when so often I post about unrelated art things. The thought that some stranger would pop over here thinking to find juicy art stuff and find me on a rant about lack of sleep, and teething troubles, and boogery kids bothers me. I have this vision of being a "serious" artist-type, and this doesn't fit in with that. And then on the other hand sometimes I hold back on art related blog posts with the fear they could be terribly boring to my family and friends who so kindly read the blog.
blech.
and so I came up with my newest way to amend this dilemma.
I would make another blog location where I would copy and paste all of my art posts so if someone wanted to connect with me just on an artistic level they could. I could link to that blog from my Etsy and make more solely artistic networks. And then I could feel free to gush on about my kids for as long and for as many posts in a row on without the thought that someone out there could be thinking how dull the mothering part of my life is.
Makes sense right?
Now, a couple of years ago I already tried to make just a family blog separate from this blog. It didn't work. But it was because it was way too much work to maintain two blogs. The trick to this newest idea is that I would be copying and pasting.
Anyways, I explained my problem, and shared my solution with Alex, and he just looked at me like I was completely nuts (He truly doesn't even understand the problem). And he just said "No". He said I am am always making things WAY more complicated than need be. That it is MY blog and I can do what I want, and if people want to read it they can, or not. End of story.
I think there is a lot of wisdom in his thinking, but why do I still feel so unsettled with it? I know that it is my truth and my reality that I am both a mother and an artist~ and this blog reflects just that. And I certainly don't want to give up sharing all the awesomeness that is my family and daily life stuff. And while it is true that a general rule of thumb for my life is is that I only want to surround myself with people who love me for who I am wholly. But, from a career mindset, I would like to network and connect with other people who may not be interested in the rest of my life outside the art realm. Please tell me, how do I do it all???
Any advise or thoughts you can bestow upon me would be greatly appreciated. Realistically can I wear two separate hats? Or am I destined to wear one hat that looks like a jester hat?
9 comments:
I would say that the family parts of your blog help people understand what motivates you as an artist. Your art and life intersect so much, it's hard to separate them.
However, there is also something to keeping professional life and family life separate.
But that's also just one definition of professionalism; it doesn't have to be yours.
Safety concerns are also not unreasonable.
If it was me, I would probably make two blogs, but like I said, it's hard when the two "topics" intersect so much. I have two blogs. Numble for weird Adam stuff. Theoretically, everything could go on We Like Gryffin.
Really, I agree with Alex. It's your blog. You can do whatever you want with it.
First off, missed ya girl!
I do so relate about sometimes needing to be absent from the blog world. I just have to say no sometimes and take care of other needs...like my family!!
I too struggle with what to share and how to seperate my personal and professional life. It's tough and i go back and forth. But ultimately I am in your wise hubby's camp. It's your life...if someone doesn't want to see it they sould follow another blog. The blogs I really enjoy reading are the genuine ones, that are 100% real. I have a friend with a blog and over 700 followers, but her blog is NOT her real life. It is the life she wishes she had and honestly when I read her blog, it just makes me sad she can't be real. So...I say be you. I really like you and hope that you continue to share your whole life with me.
Peace and blessings!
Jill
as a friend and an artist, i want to see both on your blog! but i know that not everyone who will find your blog is in the same camp. i love your blog as it is but would also really enjoy more art posts. i have no right to advise on what to put on a blog, i'm a terrible blogger (hence the blog that only has 3 posts and another that has none!) so what you end up doing is your own choice. but i'm inclined to say that you should do whatever you want, it's your blog!
:)
love you! miss you, kisses to your family
I think I can completely understand where you are coming from. I vote keep it all together. Serious artist is also a mother, a wife, the teller of funny stories and the like. The small group that reads my blog knows that when they come to "Studio Fuller" (which is not a real studio but a frame of mind-kinda sorta describes it well) they can see the latest scribbling or find out that I've developed and awful aversion to dairy. I think it rounds us out. I am planning on an actual studio fuller website where I can be more "serious" ha ha ha. I think, love me, love my "stuff".
xo
Beth
hmmm... why do I come to your blog. To connect with you regarding similar things in our lives, which for me is your family life. Your art is part of who you are but not something that I connect with you on a personal level the way that some of your other blog readers do. I could see where it would make sense to have two blogs, but it might be more work for sure. I love reading about your life which includes art and family. If you had two blogs I might go over to your art blog every once in a while but not as a main read...but that's me, your non-artsy friend :-)
Just for ideas, you could look at other blogs that marry motherhood with art. Two that I read are:
http://shonastudio.blogspot.com/
http://soulemama.typepad.com/
Best wishes! I think that you can combine the two topics.
Lynn
I think Alex is right.
Part of what makes a successful blog (like yours) is that it's true to the blog-keeper's (blog owner's? blogger's?) voice. You weave together anecdotes about family life with ones about the creation of your art in a way that reads as natural and organic.
One of the great things about blogs is that there is so much room for people to express themselves in the way that is most comfortable for them - it's no longer that Internet presence for an artist must be a dry website dealing with nothing but their art.
Anyway, I think you're doing splendidly and always enjoy popping by!
Like Lynn did, I was going to offer SouleMama as an example of an artist mama who talks both about her personal family life, as well as her professional life. I really enjoy both flavors of her posts. Of course, she is someone who only posts a certain slice of life (the happy, positive aspect) intentionally, and you are a bit more well-rounded than that, which I like about your blog! Another example is bluebirdbaby, whose personal blog includes a lot about her art, but she does have an additional blog that is purely for her photography business. So you might look to her as an example of one who is doing two... All this to say, I LOVE that you mix your art and your personal reflections. As a personal friend, I would be glad to read more "artsy" posts, as long as you had plenty of the personal stuff on there. And remember that in posting anything, you are not forcing anyone to read it. It is easy to skim over a post that one is not interested in as much! Ultimately, I hope this space serves as a creative outlet for you. Find a balance that works for YOU, and we will all be here to read it! The more authentic you are with your blog voice, the more people will relate to you!
loving you and your vampire boy,
C
I had to laugh out loud when I read Alley Cat's response. I wonder of you remind him of his mother sometimes. Making mountains out of mole hills was always one of my hobbies;-) I understand your concern, but keeping it simple has become my mantra over the past few years, and it has saved me a lot of angst. I say keep it as is. Randy just walked in and said,"You can keep the art in the kids one, but keep the kids out of the art one." I say what the hell does he know? Tee-hee. Also, Alley Cat sounds a LOT like Wompa! Frightening...I recognize one of the ornaments on the tree-the picture of David and Door Bear. Oh! And there's Oscar the Grouch on your tree. Awesome!
Love ya more than you'll ever know!
Your husband's favorite mother
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