Meet the Artists: Bessie Millar
Meet Bessie Millar
Artist, Educator, Mum & All Round Amazing Person!
I first met Bessie six years ago at Orleans House Gallery. I was struck by her entrepreneurial creative spirit, her knowledge and expertise, together with her quiet, warmth and friendliness. Designing an Early Years learning programme, she then delivered, developed and grew it - brightening up the lives of mums and little ones all over Richmond!
Weekly, Bessie would welcome new mums in – remembering names, holding crying babies, offering quiet words of comfort and reassurance, laugh with them, sing with them and inspire them with art activities that even the smallest humans could achieve. After every busy morning, she would then come in the office and give exactly the same to me and my team; a listening ear, a motivating chat, a funny story and sometimes just that knowing ‘it will be ok’ smile and a hug. If I am to give an example of a true ‘Juggling working mum’ it is Bessie!
THE FLYING ROBIN
Bessie’s card for the Dash Fund is ‘The Flying Robin’ representing freedom, spirit and flying. In this interview she tells us about her life as an artist, creativity and trying to make it all work as a mum!
Can you tell us about you and your art?
I currently live and work in London - I have a studio at Wimbledon Art Studios which is a fantastic community of artists and designers.
Since having my two children I predominately paint and draw, using a multitude of materials, oil paint, watercolours and soft pastels. I am inspired by the world around me and spend a large proportion of my time out and about painting “en plein air” or working in sketchbooks that are then developed into studio paintings. I love experimenting with different materials and think this stems from my degree in Ceramics - I can often see a correlation between my background in 3-dimensional forms and surface and how I now approach building up my two dimensional surfaces with layers and glazes. I have recently been involved in a project “Beyond the Frame” at Orleans House Gallery where I produced a body of work inspired by a piece in the collection. This has encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and explore working a bit more from within rather than directly from a landscape or scene in front of me.
What are your first memories of ‘being creative?’
I was always drawing and painting as a child and that continued throughout school -finding solace in the art department where I would spend many happy moments playing with materials.
What made you decide you wanted to work within the arts?
It wasn’t really a decision as such - I have always been a very visual person - in the way I learn and it was a natural progression to explore this further through a foundation course then Art College. This was followed by an artist in residency post at a secondary school that led to teaching positions in secondary schools followed by a period running a studio ceramics business producing handmade interior products, wall tiles etc. I returned to teaching part time and started working within museums and galleries and have continued this to this day alongside making my own work and exhibiting in galleries, art fairs and exhibitions.
“‘Being a parent has helped me with my creativity. Seeing the world through children’s eyes, that sense of wonder - observing their innate creativity and attempting to harness an element of that within my own work’”
How has your creativity benefited (or helped) you with being a parent?
Fundamentally I think really it has been the other way around - being a parent has helped me with my creativity. Seeing the world through children’s eyes, that sense of wonder - observing their innate creativity and attempting to harness an element of that within my own work.
Children are fantastic at finding connections that you may have never thought of. Of course, there have been times when it’s been helpful in entertaining them - we have been able to make together and they are fantastic guinea-pigs to test out my activities for my teaching work and ensure I have pitched them at the right level.
My girls will accompany me with their sketchbooks for an afternoon drawing and painting and are very happy in their own company exploring their own creative ideas through both writing, drawing and imaginary play.
How has your ‘creativity’ helped you through lockdown?
Lock down has been quite a challenge for me. I often spend time alone in my studio and have found having a house full quite a challenge to the way I normally work. I have been unable to physically get to my art studio so I have had to have a mobile studio - like many, working from my kitchen table and garden. It has been very hard to get into the right head space with constant interruptions.
It has been fantastic to have some time to stop and think but I feel it has been quite disjointed and hard to get into a flow of actually producing anything that I am pleased with.
Despite this I have been trying to make myself do something every day and this has definitely given me a purpose but I have also not put too much pressure on myself as trying to adjust to home school has been quite full on.
I was thrilled to be involved In the DrawFor project where I donated an artwork to be made into posters with all profit going to the NHS and of course the Dash Fund.
How do you cope with the ‘Juggle’ of being a mum and your work?
Since having children and continuing to make time for my own art practice I have found that I need to be very disciplined with my time and work. After dropping the girls at school, I head straight to my studio or to a specific site and get my head down. I find if I go home in between I find I get swept up into my ever increasing “to do list”. A lot of my thinking time happens whilst making kids tea, waiting for clubs to finish etc. School holidays become more difficult, but I have managed to condense my art materials into a small go to bag - so wherever we are I can always grab a few moments for a quick sketch. It is getting easier as my girls are getting older.
What would be your tip to a new parent?
Be kind to yourself - don’t commit to doing too much, it’s fine to say no to things and if possible try to find something to do for yourself. Carry something forward from your pre-parent life - something just for you. Parenting is a wonderful life changing experience but it’s very easy to be swept up in everybody else’s needs neglecting your own.
“Small people grow so fast - it’s such a transient phase - harness what you can from it and most importantly find a slither of time for you and remember to be kind to yourself. ”
What are you thoughts around creativity and wellbeing?
I feel creativity and wellbeing are integral to each other - certainly for me.
Creativity is such an innate human quality and in my case an essential part of who I am and how I function best - if it’s taken away or if I neglect to find time for it I definitely don’t feel like me anymore.
In my own experience my creativity has been a powerful tool that I have learnt to harness to guide me through some tough periods. Almost as a form of meditation - being in the moment, often in nature taking time to try to capture the essence of a specific time and place.
What are you big ‘Art’ Dreams? What are your next big plans for your creative work?
To keep going - to enable myself to continue the balance of being around for my family whilst also fulfilling my own creative needs and work.
Anything else you would like to share?
Seek out other people who are in a similar situation to you - find strength and support each other. I am very lucky and have a wonderful network of amazing creative women who are a constant source of inspiration and advice. Find out how they tackled certain aspects - that balance between finding time with the family and time for yourself and work, ways to silence or quiet that niggling guilt.
Thank you Bessie!