During the month of May, we sat down with some of our favorite creative mothers who seamlessly and effortlessly balance their art practice along with motherhood. We interviewed, shot, and documented five creative mommas. We will be sharing their stories, their images, and some behind the scenes.
Introducing our second Momma in the Creative Mommas Series is the amazing Aminah Williams, an artist and actress.
What are you teaching your children about art? What do they teach you? My daughter has taught me to release my anxiety and bloom with my artwork. Growth is an essential part of any craft and she taught me to appreciate the process. To never overlook it from being too focused on the future. By staying in the moment, I will be rewarded with memories that will hold more weight than silver and gold.
What advice do you have for mothers who want to create? Don’t give up. There will be many times when you feel tired, like you just can’t carry the load. But I am believer that nothing happens by mistake. Everything we face is a part of God’s plan. He has already given us the tools necessary to conquer. The biggest piece of advice I got was to set specific and realistic goals. If I want to be a filmmaker, I don’t just write on my goal sheet: to make a film. I have to be specific about the film genre, style, cost, etc. Being specific and realistic has helped me to become more in control of my work.
In what ways do your children inspire you and your artistry? My daughter inspires me to keep going and to find solutions to my problems rather than wallow over every mistake. There are times when she will spend 30 minutes crying over a piece of candy that I told her she wont get until she cleans up her mess. These moments become fuel for my hard times. Rather than sulk in depression and play the blame game when we face hard times, we have the power to look at the situation and create change. The answers come with the problem, we just have to find it.
*** This series was created and curated by Victoria Allen, shot and documented by Dierra Font and Colbie Fray.