Any one working as an artist?

[lelo]

Wondering if there are any MNetters that exhibit, earn some dosh from being an artist? how do you find the mum/artist split easy?
thanks

ok just me then! didnt want to have a 1 next to my message boohoo

I'm a non-practicing artist at the moment. but i'm hoping to start getting more serious soonish. not very helpful, but more messages on your thread!!

lelo..i'd be interested in this too, ....thinking of photography / photo montage though and selling via picture web sites and hoping to fit things round ds and his nursery / school times...
its just an idea at this stage, so no real advice, but now you have 3 next to your message

actually i think there are artists on here who could help so BUMP too...

lelo - what kind of work do you do?

Me, I was adamant to start again when ds was 3 months old...he is now 17 months old and I've started 3 weeks ago! I've decided to take time off and be a SAHM, it was tough and can be very draining on your creative energy. He is now in a routine where he sleeps 3 hours during the day, which gives me enough time to work some, dh takes over on weekends which gives me 2 full days to work. I haven't set out any exhibitions for this year, just decided that if I have anything to sell I will sell it, rather than putting the pressure on. It has also given me an opportunity to change my style a little and time to experiment some. I'm a ceramic artist by the way.

oh how exciting replies! thanks! I do large paintings and got pg right at end of college, then has gone pretty well with a solo show in germany 2 years ago and another this year. The first of which i did in 4 months working in my spare room (all newspapered up and quarantined) and still breast fed every 3 hours while mil and others helped looked after my little 3 month old a couple of days a week.
Have been working pretty solidly since, now with a studio and parttime childcare.
At first the adrenlin of it all got me really going. but must admit the constant mum to artist switch gets a little tiring / and poor dh has sometimes taken the brunt of a bit of my stress.
I just kind of didnt make any decisions not to or to keep doing it as i knew that it was sort of now and not sure when id get the opportunity to do it all in the future.
But i tell you id love to meet / chat to some other artists so thank you for replying!!. its sooo nice that you guys are doing it too.

(ps I know some mums who use mumsnet so if you read this and work out who i am say hi!)

Mum2FunkyDude - that's awesome that you are a ceramic artist. that's what i got my degree in but i haven't been able to afford to get a studio up and running yet.
I'd love to see some of your work sometime!!!

lelo - managed to get a whole show together while your ds was that small?!! I am in awe of you!

Ds is 19mo and i'm still struggling!

Purplemonkeydishwasher, yeah, been doing it for 6 years now, fortunately I have a studio at home, it is tough getting it together with a new baby. What I will do one day is when I have something decent to show I will put it on my profile page (if I can figure out how to do it).