We’re like a TED for mums. The overall premise is about building a supportive and collaborative community for creative mothers to:
CONNECT – with other like-minded creative mamas
SHARE – their creative story, expertise or passion
COLLABORATE – form new creative partnerships
FLOURISH – get back in touch with their core creative identity to feel a sense of purpose and fulfilment.
Passions and expertise range from film making, writing, painting, jewellery design, sculpture, screen writing, photography, food blogging and recipe invention, music, interior design, architecture, illustration, crafters, creative entrepreneurship – to name a few!
In mid 2013 I remember chatting to some of my close mama friends who had all been successful creative professionals before becoming mothers, or held a deep passion for a particular creative pursuit.
Some striking yet consistent themes came up, including: a feeling of isolation and lack of support, not having the time or focus to consistently produce creative work, not knowing many mothers with a shared philosophy, unsure about how to integrate a creative life into this new motherhood journey.
So it seemed like a good idea to bring all these wonderful women together to create a small local support group, where we could meet regularly to share our stories and showcase our body of work.
By giving ourselves the time and space to focus on our core passions we were able to reconnect with our creative identities which had been laying dormant. This was a truly cathartic experience, providing the impetus and courage to re-establish successful and meaningful creative careers PLUS form significant, exciting collaborations and lasting friendships!
EVENTS
DISRUPTING MOTHER GUILT
Mama Creatives provides a safe and nurturing platform that gives creative mothers the spotlight to share their stories. It’s not about discussing over generalisations relating to mother guilt, or weighing up the pros and cons of the work/life juggle. We elevate the conversation to discuss poignant themes through our inspiring, practical and diverse series of evening talks, masterclasses, expert panels and creative workshops, to reveal that although it can be challenging, living a creative life whilst being a mother is possible. It is not about an ‘either/or’ attitude but one which includes ‘and/both’!
What we have in common is that we all have a story, and sharing this is courageous. We embrace discomfort and vulnerability because this is raw and authentic and makes us who we are. Being creative we have the advantage for self expression, so the role the creative process plays in overcoming our adversity is vital and life affirming. It’s not about feeling guilty but learning how to reconnect with what it is that makes us feel whole.
Starting with just six friends we now have several thousand high calibre creative mamas in our community, and add new members daily.
We offer various ways to receive and consume amazing content such as:
- Our bespoke online course Your Creative Awakening, a 10 week experience that gives you the tools to awaken your spirit and step into your creative power so you feel like you again. You will learn to prioritise creativity in your life because it nourishes your soul and brings you more joy – but without the guilt!
- Our Creative Mama online membership giving access to our live content, allowing creative mamas to be inspired and feel connected from anywhere around the globe.
- Webinars, masterclasses and hands on workshops with some of the best thought leaders in their fields.
- Our podcast and video series The Creativity Couch – we answer your creativity challenges, conundrums and conflicts with special captivating guests.
Photo credit: Sarah Iris Photography
Anna is a creative nurturer, super-connector and lateral thinker. She is passionate about art, kids, sharing and connecting. She is a trained art educator, with a Bachelor of Art Education, majoring in Educational Psychology, and a registered art therapist with a Masters in Art Therapy. She has a published thesis about the benefits of working with clay and children with anxiety disorders. For over 15 years she has worked with kids and teens with a range of emotional and behavioural problems, including children from domestic violence backgrounds.
Anna has also spent 20 years as a qualitative researcher helping a broad range of clients, corporations and smaller businesses across diverse sectors, in both Australia and Europe, to better understand people’s motivations, usage and attitudes. She has a curious nature and always enjoys meeting new people and believes everyone has an interesting story to tell.
In 2011 Anna launched her first online art business, ArtBuds, selling contemporary art for kids. She learnt a lot about the real challenges and joys of entrepreneurship from this experience, and brings this learning to Mama Creatives.
Anna remains super charged about the future of Mama Creatives, and growing it into a remarkable global community connecting and showcasing talented creative mamas from every corner of the earth.