"Mosaics helps me to learn and to practice the notion that when faced with uncertainty all we can do is to let go of our need for always being in control. "

"My works are images from moments overwhelmed with spongy, sentimental love, but made in a rush tinged with resentment: the constant, jarring contradictions of motherhood."

"Being a parent is one of the most difficult and challenging endeavors in one's life; however, I have no doubt it is the most meaningful."

"You can be a masterpiece, and a work in progress at the same time.”

"Children are the one and only meaningful thing in this life, and they deserve the merriest and fully lived on experiences childhood."

"Becoming an artist has been a long journey: it took me almost 30 years to ‘come out of the closet’ as a painter. I was a creative child, dreaming of becoming a fashion designer. But without artistic role models, nor anyone encouraging my artistic talents, it never occurred to me that I could actually BE that."

"My recent landscape and architecture art is centered on the land, our connection to it, and the energy we draw from it. I build upon places I have been and the overarching emotions I have associated with that specific place."

"I have always been a practicing artist, but motherhood truly threw me for a loop. I lost my sense of identity and could hear my college professors in my head saying that I had to choose between being a “serious” artist or mother."

"I try and be a source of positivity, and show artists what's possible with their art. I like to be honest and transparent so that others can learn from my mistakes."

"I have come to realize that my healing journey began when I started drawing again "just for me" back in 2011. My path towards wellness is all right there, expressed in my art."

"My own movement partly counteracts the train's speed and allows me to capture islands of focus within dynamic pictures. In the Rush of travel, I reach a place of inner stillness that allows me to preserve the fleeting beauty."

"My life’s work as an artist is discovering where storytelling, visual language, and sense of self intersect."

"I create visual love letters between past and present by rescuing discarded photos & creating new lives for these found figures."

"Even in times of darkness, my art is optimistic. When I paint, intuition is my guide."

"I am a visual storyteller. Through my art, I tell stories about emotions, vulnerability, strength and personal growth."

"It’s essential to me to seek and discover meaning and beauty in the most painful situations and darkest nights of our earthly existence. "

"Making time for my art makes me a better mother, partner and daughter."

"I have no idea what I used to do with all my free time but I can accomplish so much more now in these short segments."

"Since becoming a mom, I don’t have the luxury to procrastinate and stare at the carpet in a woebegone state."

”Do you know those small little things that can change the direction of a whole day? Even your life? Small little glimpses of joy and magic that make your heart beat a bit faster? Those fractions of magic are why I paint.”

Nadine was a practicing artist before embracing motherhood. She had international exposure in Beirut and the Seychelles and participated in various group exhibitions in Mauritius Island.

Nikki Braun is drawn to watercolor because there is a looseness, flow and uncontrolled nature that challenges and captures her creativity. She likes to explore the contrast that soft washes of watercolor and hard marks of pen create in her abstract paintings.

"My view is a fragmented view, I take up aspects of a human being and place them into an environment which can be its inner world our outside visions or real outside."

"Using methods of contrast such as colour, surface and the line as contour, at times impasto, at times poetically translucent, I attempt to portray the suffering and the lighter moments of life. What is always important is the message and the artistic expression."

"My aim is coming to a stage where I inspire the people looking at my pictures to consider more carefully the world around them and to discover the beauty in nature and everywhere around us."

"I tried every artistic oeuvre to find something that would fit with my lifestyle. I even dreamed of opening a touring art gallery in an Airstream camper which could travel around with varying exhibitions that I curated. I thought it would be awesome to have cocktail parties for every opening in every state. Maybe one day! "

Shushanik's paintings are informed by her work as a psychotherapist, placing significance on the process. While paintings begin with some form of structure (i.e. a seascape or a landscape), this structure is tentative and flexible and is often guided by moment to moment decisions, whether it’s the choice of brush, color, texture, or movement in the painting.

"Becoming a mother introduced new concepts into my works as far as topics are concerned. The meaning in the visuals around me began to emerge, as I noticed compositions of everyday objects that my son created."

"By utilizing what are otherwise joyful combinations of color, print and texture, I create hand-stitched textile works permeated with a covert and often humorous commentary of self-identity and understanding."

Nashville, Tennessee / United States

"As with most things in life, there is a fine line to walk and a delicate balance to maintain in order to succeed."

"Spending time outside is one of the best ways I can strengthen and support my mental health, and this connection is deepened as I create landscapes on canvases."

"In my art, I attempt to look at the experience of those I know well and capture the beauty they possess through all the uncertainty in their lives."

"I made my first collage almost two decades ago and now it's the main focus of my art practice.
The first time I submitted this I said, "My dreams for the future include creating a collage community.""

"Since my return to fine arts came through a need to create freedom for myself, I hope that people experience some of this freedom and empowerment when viewing my art as well."

"When I paint, I gradually release each layer until it becomes a map of the present or a memory of lived experiences of universal trauma, hope, pain and joy."

"Art is more than conveying a story and my practice comes from where I am emotionally. I wish to evoke a sense of wonder with my art."

"My intention is to explore my own experiences, and in doing so, give the viewer unspoken permission to do the same. To celebrate the intrinsic parts of life that are often hard to articulate with words."

"Often there is a synchronicity of events - opportunities will present themselves when I might least be expecting them. I try to catch these extraordinary moments and people in my mind and capture their unique, individual expression."

"I think differently about my subject because I want my work to have significant meaning in these socially hard times we are having in the US."

"I had never really considered that I was capable of a career in the arts but through my journey as a mother and educator, I finally saw a path."

"No process in my creation, just letting the painting come to life as it’s meant to be, just surrendering to the flow of feelings and instinct to guide me throughout the creation, my confession on canvas."

"We must live in the moment because it is all we have and it is what defines our fast coming future."

"The challenges are always present, especially when the only income is selling or teaching art, but I am a big believer in Law Of Attraction."

"Art is a sort of therapy for me. It helps me to come to terms with what‘s lying under the surface. To me, art is important not only as a pleasing aesthetic object but also for its capacity to communicate meaning."

"I am currently in the thick of it all, figuring out my new life and pouring all my emotions and transformation into my art."

"Continuing on with the theme of sharing and spreading happiness and good fortune to others, my goal is to create 1000 cranes with the IG artist community."

"When I’m creating art, I am exploring ideas and feelings and leaving questions hanging in the air."

"My hope is that my paintings will feel intimate and familiar by tapping into a private memory that will connect the viewer to the image, to our powerful Canadian environment, and to me."

"My life is constant creation. I love to improvise. I take whatever I have and I make something out of it. I believe that art does not end on canvas, it's in everything, everyone and everywhere."

"I realized that diverse experiences and interests enriched my children's lives. This transformation was organic and it seeped into my art journey. My paintings today better reflect me as a person and artist and don't mask the past."

"My methodical painting process brings a centering balance to my life. Essentially, painting flowers helps me focus, enjoy nature's simple beauty, and share my desire for others to feel joy and a deeper connection to nature."

"There are only two things that I wanted to be in this life, an artist and a mother."

"Being a mom is hard, emotionally and physically, but ... I am still figuring out this new identity as a mother, designer, business woman, artist, wife, and myself, and really enjoying every bit of it."

"Through my art, I strive to build a rapport with the viewer. I delight in drawing people in and creating a shared experience of emotional energy and insight."

"Motherhood (and wifehood) has been transformational. It is the most challenging and beautiful journey I have ever been on."

"My work addresses infinity as the succession of fleeting and brittle activities. With freedom and flexibility, I combine acquired knowledge and experiment and create art to inspire dialogue and reflection on these concepts through materials and aesthetic philosophies."

"I believe you are never too old to find your dreams and develop your gifts and skills. You just need a willing heart that is not afraid to be a beginner again, to get past your fears and be true to yourself."

"My dream is to help other women that have experienced abuse and depression to find an avenue to express their feelings, to believe in themselves again."

"I believe that setbacks are a part of life, and getting through them with determination and courage will not only make you stronger, but will teach you for the next roadblock."

"The transition into motherhood was also a transition into a new period of my practice and I am very thankful for that."

"Art saved me. It turned into a daily practice that reconnected me with myself and taught me how to be a new mother."

"Six months after I became a stay-at-home mom, I pulled out some old canvases and my kids’ paints, and I started painting. I was uncertain, having no formal training in painting, but my heart fell in love with the process. I waited so many years for this chance. I was never going to give it up again."

"I believe we are here to experience and evolve within ourselves first and then as a collective society."

"I make mixed media macro portraits of the eyes of various individuals using pictured materials influenced by the subjects themselves. This approach is to highlight their perspective conveyed through the context of the most unique element of each living thing - their eyes."

"If you are struggling with finding time to create art as a mother, try shifting your focus to creating with your children."

"I am truly inspired by mothers I meet, with their utter audacity and determination to do the best job they can. I strive to pass on this kind of strength to my students and also my daughter."

"I believe my artwork is not just a piece of art to be hung and admired, but rather an experience to be had as it shares its essences and energetic frequencies with you."

"I’ve been an artist all my life, yet motherhood brought me to the realization that my art is a necessity for self-care. Motherhood brought an awakening that sharing my work holds power to amplify my own happiness and that it will ripple out to others."

"Motherhood also united my creativity with my professional practices. I feel modern day women literally have superpowers that come with this transformation."

My artwork reflects the beauty of light and the courage to find it. I hope my work will lift viewers emotionally. I am grateful to be able to express myself freely through my work while also using it to connect with others.

"My artwork has gradually honed in on this as a focus for my creativity, paying attention to how it feels to have a need to be the nurturer, but feeling trapped by the needs and responsibilities of others."

"Today, my artwork is a call to nature by appealing to the “inner child” in us all. I am devoted to Earth and all her plant and animal beings. I believe that children are innately tied to these living creatures in a most mystical way."

"The art life can be incredibly challenging, throw in motherhood, the weight of the changing world and daily responsibilities, having the right support is crucial."

"I paint to translate the beauty of ephemerality and chaos of my daily life with three kids into mixed media abstract images."

"I am a storyteller, and often see far beyond the simplicity of a subject, be it a decaying leaf or a drop of water reflecting the world around it. My camera freezes a vision, and my brush is a way to express how it makes me feel."

"To build back my sense of self, and find peace in the present, I turned my attention back to art and I am now mindfully growing my art practice and my work."

"I don’t think I could ever describe in enough detail how I felt when I became a mother twelve years ago. I was at the top of my game at this time of my life in England. My husband and I had big plans for our lives, so when our little blessing came as a surprise, everything was turned upside down and our lives changed so much!"

"My art explores the connection we feel to land and the places that hold our history and our hearts. The places that make us feel "at home"."

"My voice has a value whether I’m drawing a simple flower or being deep and meaningful."

"I work with an innovative layering process, spraying veils of colour over a glitter and pigment primed ground."