Hi All! A few months back I had the honor of capturing Julie in her studio, doing what she does best, motherhood and painting! I asked her to be a guest on my blog, and share a little about being an artist and stay at home mom! I also wanted Julie to share her heart behind her work with you, like she did with me! I put together a sweet video of her and her daughter that at the end of this post! You can’t miss it so keep reading and scrolling!! I hope you enjoy! 

Art + Motherhood

Julie Marriott is a painter, pattern designer, and workshop teacher living and working in San Diego, CA. She’s also wife to her husband, Danny, and stay at home mom to her two-year-old daughter, Violet. Julie is passionate about creating joyful artwork inspired by the bold, colorful beauty of nature.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to color, draw and paint. I was, as Danielle from the Jealous Curator likes to call children like me, an “art kid.” My older sister and I were homeschooled, and I think our relaxed daily schedule and generous amounts of unstructured free time gave my creativity the breathing space to grow and develop. At 11-years-old, I was taking painting lessons at a local art studio and selling batches of meticulously painted animal rocks to my dad’s office co-workers. Yes, rocks. Looking back, my messy desk at home was basically a mini version of my current art studio: loads of paints, brushes, palettes, paper and pencils at the ready, a creative project always underway, more ordered chaos than tidy space.

Painting is one of my daughter’s favorite things in the world, close up there with tea parties, Mickey Mouse and the color red. Once or twice a week, we set up on the kitchen floor and paint together. Violet paints with an adorable mixture of thoughtfulness and spontaneity that I love to watch. At our last painting session, she actually rinsed out her brush in between colors! I’m one proud artist mama.

When I’m asked how I have the time to be both a mom and a professional artist, I usually answer that I have a messy house, don’t watch much T.V., and have an amazingly supportive family. My awesome, hard-working husband is the main provider for our family, allowing me the freedom to slowly grow my art business from home in the in-between moments of caring for our daughter. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mom, it’s that the magic is truly in those in- between moments. It may seem like there’s no free time in the day, but even 30 minutes here and there during nap time can add up. Developing a large vision for what I want to achieve with my business, as well as always having a specific, daily goal to work toward has been the key for being productive in those chunks of time.

I’m extremely blessed to be able to follow my creative dreams, as well as be at home with my kiddo. One of my favorite things about motherhood is being present to witness all the small ways Violet learns and grows each day. I also love that she’s growing up surrounded by art and creativity. Life isn’t perfect, and often daily household tasks fall through the cracks because I’m finishing a commission or prepping for a workshop instead. But I’m learning to be ok with the reality of my limits. For me, being both a mother and an artist is a wonderfully fulfilling path, and I’m so thankful that this is my journey.

If you’re in the San Diego area, join Julie for a floral painting workshop! Her classes are fun, beginner-friendly introductions to acrylic painting techniques, and each student takes home their own unique canvas. You can find her workshop calendar and tickets here (http://juliemarriottart.com/events/)