As we celebrate the incredible women who fill our lives with love and warmth around Mother's Day, we also want to shine a spotlight on the talented La La Land artists who are mothers. At La La Land, we are privileged to work with remarkable creatives whose artistry graces our products, bringing joy and beauty into homes across Australia. Behind every brushstroke and illustration lies a story of passion, dedication, and often, the delicate balance of motherhood.
In this special blog post, we sit down with two of these amazing mothers, Deb Hudson & Mia Laing, to learn about their artistic journey, the inspiration they draw from motherhood, and how they navigate the intricate dance of nurturing both their families and their craft.
How has motherhood influenced your artistic practice and the themes you explore in your work?
Deb:
Being a mother is both a time consuming and rewarding job. When my children were little I only found snippets of time to draw. Although I was still creative but not artistically. It wasn’t until my youngest went to kindergarten that I really got back into drawing and illustrating. That was a good six years that I did very little drawing. I’d sometimes draw my children or some beautiful flowers I’d picked from my garden while they were drawing too.
Mia:
Being a mother has profoundly shaped my artistic journey. I started painting when my two daughters were very little, as a means to carve some ‘Me’ time out of the busyness of infancy and toddlerhood. I started my journey in children’s illustration, a natural step it seemed when I was surrounded by picture books and loved the time reading to my girls, exploring the wonder of quirky characters and anthropomorphic animals.
Balancing motherhood and a creative career can be challenging. What strategies or rituals do you implement to find time for your art amidst the demands of parenting?
Deb:
It’s hard to find a balance between being a mother and having a creative career when your children are small. I like to create uninterrupted for a few hours which is not so easy, virtually impossible with infants and toddlers. Carving out time became much easier once my children were at school. That has been my most productive time and also after dinner, once the children are in bed. Sometimes I can work into the wee hours.
I also joined a drawing challenge and committed to drawing something everyday or so. Practice is crucial, if you don’t draw for a long time you lose your confidence and skills wane. Before being a mother I was a bit of a perfectionist when it came to my art, but since having my children they’ve taught me to be more carefree and playful. I love drawing on scrappy pieces of paper and sketching without going to a finished state.
Mia:
Balancing motherhood and a creative career is incredibly challenging at times, but it can be done. Implementing a structured approach to my art practice from very early on and treating it as a job has been the key. Through this commitment, I’ve inadvertently become a role model for my girls, emphasising the importance of pursuing one's passions with diligence and enthusiasm. Growing up in an environment where art is valued and prioritised, they have both been inspired to explore creative careers and are now in architecture (marine and residential) and design with their own shared business.
Are there any particular moments or experiences from your journey as a mother that have directly inspired your artwork?
Deb:
I love to draw tender moments between parents and children or children and their animal friends. My children love animals. We have three adored pets, a loyal border collie, the softest white rabbit and a yellow canary. I see the affection between my children and our pets and it’s sometimes makes me tear up. I like to celebrate these emotions, mostly happy emotions in my art that uplift the viewer.
Mia:
As (my daughters) grew older, and with more time available, I discovered oil painting. My paintings went from watercolour and gouache illustrations to larger-scaled figurative pieces, where I often painted my daughters in water scenes as we enjoyed the pristine waters and playways of Western Australia. I won a few awards for some of these paintings and it allowed me to freeze time, preserving their youth in oil on canvas, a love letter of sorts.
Deb:
One thing I found once I started drawing again, was that it was so important for me to make the space to draw and paint even if it filled me with guilt. It literally gave me energy and soothed my creative self. I needed it, I felt whole again. So if you can find time to continue pursuing your passion for art while raising a family, you’ll be functioning as a better you and mum.
Mia:
As a mother and an artist, I am proud to have influenced my daughters’ journeys, imparting upon them the values of perseverance, creativity, and self-expression. By showing up each day, saying yes to new opportunities, and staying true to my artistic voice, I've cultivated my own career and paved the way for my girls to embrace their creative potential.
Discover Mia Laing's work for La La Land
Discover Deb Hudson's work for La La Land