Comments on: tracks

By: Penelope Illustration • Penelope Dullaghan : home again, home again, jiggity jig

Penelope Illustration • Penelope Dullaghan : home again, home again, jiggity jig — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:14:25 +0000

[...] the last few weeks we have finally made the decision to sell this house and move back to Indianapolis. This has been an extremely hard decision (mainly [...]

By: angela

angela — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:59:55 +0000

I visit Warsaw for a week once a twice a month. It is an interesting town. especially if you are used to something much bigger.

follow your heart.

By: Carmen

Carmen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:12:24 +0000

Happy to hear from you again. We all have ups an downs in lives, hang on there, please remember you are not alone~ : )

By: lori

lori — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:08:44 +0000

oh, i wish i commented here more. i have been reading your site for so many years you feel like someone i know so well. you were so sweet when sosi was born and sent me that CD.
I just wanted you to know you are not alone in how you are feeling. i go through those feeling almost on a daily basis. it is so hard keeping that balance of mommyhood and being an artist. it is a constant balancing act for me. some days i feel on top of the world, some days i feel like i am failing horribly at both.
from where i am sitting penelope, you are a superstar. your art has never been more inspiring and you are such a lovely mom. don’t be too hard on yourself sweetie. this is such a short little time in our lives, enjoy it… don’t fight it. xoxox

By: Grace

Grace — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:53:35 +0000

I have to say that I feel you on the previous post. I have been there so, so many times. I have to be super careful about what I allow myself to read blogwise now because I can easily get sucked into feeling all wanty and inadequate.

Blessings to you!

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:01:10 +0000

I just want you guys to be a happy family. Just focus on that. You can be happy wherever you are, but figure out what feeds your soul and go after it. I agree that you might need to find some child care for Veda to wrap your mind around all you’ve got going on. Just a suggestion…full-time mommy, full-time wife, and full-time artist don’t mix well, but your situation lends itself all too well to that arrangement (being able to work at home). Most mothers of little ones I know either become stay-at-home moms, work part-time and stay home part time, or work full time and the child goes to daycare or with a relative during the day. It’s too hard to do it all, Pen. Something’s gotta give so you can think clearly. It’s a lot of pressure you’re putting on yourself. I know of a nice aunt who would be willing to help out :)

xoxo,
YSIL

By: meg

meg — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:24:27 +0000

Do you remember that scene in Parenthood, when Steve Martin realizes that life/parenthood is just like a roller coaster…moments of fear, comfort, excitement, satisfaction, then fear, excitement, comfort etc…and you just ride along…take care!

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:11:11 +0000

Not only do I admire your creative work but I admire your honesty about the struggles of marrying the creative life to parenting life.

It’s a HUGE topic to explore because so many factors enter in: finding time to replenish the creative “well”, dealing with tight deadlines that clash with a wee one’s needs, (and to be quite frank while hoping I don’t offend or stir up a hornets nest)working in a male-dominated field where many of our counterparts have partners who often shoulder many of the child rearing/household tasks.(At least this has been true in my age/peer group)

It’s a constant push/pull kind of feeling that can wear on one’s spirit.But that said, we are resilient and the beauty of having a great imagination is that we can imagine and work towards better systems that work for us.
Peace be with you.

ps As the mother of two daughters (14 & 17) I look back and I wouldn’t trade one minute for the time I took to be present to them while maybe putting my creative needs on hold for a bit. I know it sounds like a cliche but it goes SO quickly.

By: annamaria

annamaria — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:00:13 +0000

Now that my eldest is twenty and my youngest eight, I wonder if they will remember me as the rush-rush-rush mom…hmm-I wish that is not true but it might…- It has been and will be a constant juggling act-don’t you think? But with your lovely mind and very creative soul I feel you will find your own balance as long as you stay honest with yourself…-I don’t always leave comments, but I have visited here off and on for quiet some time and I too admire all that you do and I would still admire you even if you did less!!- Best
Annamaria :)

By: Marta

Marta — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:39:25 +0000

i admire you so very much, and not just because of your creativity or the beautiful thoughts that pour from your soul. for this as well, the way you share the downsides of it, and move through it. being human, you know. always flowing and mutating.
i am in the last year of a design degree and have been struggling with this question of time so much. I would love to have the time to create everything i envision, I would love to be able to multiply myself and create wonderful things for all my courses, and still be a good present friend, keep my house in decent condition, create everything else that comes to me unrelated to the briefings I get, enjoy the outdoors, and have wonderful sleep.
but we can’t multiply ourselves and make it all perfect. all we can do is try to move through it with a little grace (or not) and keep our sanity somewhat intact.
I can not begin to tell you how much I admire the fact that you have ventured into mamahood & becoming a yoga teacher & finding your holy place in the world & working full time on a creative job.
each one of those tasks is a hand full (and mind-full) on their own. you are so brave, you are doing wonderfully. I wish you peace with whatever decisions you make from here.