What Do BEES, PODS, WORK, and QUILTS Have in Common?

Photo Credit: National Archives

CHECK ME OUT ON MEDIUM! 

There's just something about standing up for piece of content because you believe in it—even if the editors of umpteen pubs didn't. 

I get it. The piece tries to do a lot. It's not just the personal narrative of how I started coworking with a group of moms back in the autumn of 2016—or how we've since used these functional playdates to prop up all sorts of goals over the years (career, personal, vocational, creative, and otherwise). It's also an article that provides takeaways, as well as some historical context, and of course, some COVID-level framing....

Meaning, sometimes you have a lot to say. Thankfully, Medium lets you say whatever, however you want. Having gone through a gajillion questionable headlines before picking this questionable headline (because if I still worked at Yahoo, it's the one they'd insist I use), so I'd just like to see you even TRY to resist clicking on:

"A Generations-old Trick for Staying Productive — 
Yes, Even with Kids Around" 

But if not, then at least sit back and enjoy this archival photo of the most 70's of all ladies, enjoying a little sewing bee in Central Park, from back when the fashion was hot, the hair was long, and the sisterhood was STRONG. Enjoy!

Hello, Artist Mamma.

Are you—or do you know—a creative person who's also a parent to young children? Or someone who USED to write or make art, and misses it?

I've spent the last two years adjusting to life as a WFHM and have, at points, grieved the loss of what I thought was the time and space to cultivate my art—all for the sake of motherhood, or a paycheck, or some other Big Blocker that made excuse-making so easy. 

But then I met this tiny collective of women, with similar ambitions and gumption, and somehow—maybe even out of desperation—we carved a path forward. We eeked out time. We set goals and achieved them. And wow, what a revival it's been. My creative life has not—and will not—ever be the same. 

We called ourselves The MatriArtists. And now we're launching an Insta account with inspiration and ideas for fellow creative SAHPs and WFHP's—about functional playgroups, creative co-working, and parental support for all kinds of professional and personal work, from any kind of medium, for any sort of artistic goal under the sun. Join us! 

Follow @the_matriartists on Instagram to learn more... And thanks in advance for checking us out. We love comments, feedback, and lots of participation.