[Kimberly Dow]

I found it a lot easier to stay on a painting schedule when I got the studio that is open to the public. I have other artists work hanging and that makes me responsible to keep the doors open certain hours - just like any secretary or banker that has to be to work at a certain time.

The house is messier, the kids have had to step up and help more - as well as my husband, but it is well worth it. If I do have to be gone then I try and make it up at night. I'll take a couple nights a week that I tell my husband (who complains, but I dont care) that he has dinner and baths and homework duty. He does all the 3 kids and I take off for the studio as soon as he gets home. Then I paint til 10:30 at night. I find that even if I am tired it is so nice to be painting that I dont need dinner or anything.

If you dont make time for it above the laundry and regular chores then you cant expect your family to take it seriously either. I learned that the hard way. I would complain and complain that I did everything here at home and still worked full time. The complaining did no good - when I just shut up and stopped doing it when it was time for me to paint they all stepped up to the plate and helped. They complain, but I just calmly tell them - too bad. We are family - not a group with a mother-slave - we all have to work to make it run smoothly. After all - if I am gone to the studio and they dont have clothes to wear the next day - then they will HAVE to do a load of laundry.