Art Baby = Royal Baby

A guest post by Melanie Rothschild

I realized that if Princess Diana were still alive she’d be a grandma. That got me to thinking about royalty – and babies. DSCF2914

It hasn’t happened much but I suppose a couple of times after I had my twins I considered what it would be like to be a princess – I particularly got into the part about having a few extra hands around the house.

Nevertheless, after all is said and done, I tend to think that it’s actually got to be a royal pain . . . to be a princess that is. DSCF2912

Trouble is, I doubt there’s much room to be yourself – or to even know necessarily just what that means. And then, you probably have to “play by the rules” when it comes to raising your baby too. And that would certainly take the sparkle out of the deal.

For an artist, it would be unbearable.

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When I had babies, as thoroughly exhausted as I was, I was fundamentally energized by the idea that these babies could grow up to “ride on the open highway.” I could use whatever intuitive abilities I had to get to know these tiny people and support them in their own genuine search for creating themselves as best suited whatever strengths they would develop.

What must it be like if, while watching your future king grow up, you realize he has a propensity for reggae music or stand-up comedy. As a mother (to say nothing about the actual tiny monarch himself) I’d find it excruciating to be faced with denying who this person might actually be, having instead to yield to what must be pretty massive pressure to conform to centuries of tradition.

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I think that’s where artists have an advantage – in appreciating the preciousness of pursuing being yourself. Certainly all of that “becoming yourself” stuff comes with a price, often a huge and pricey price – but fundamentally it’s the price of a bona fide freedom to be. I suppose in the end, that’s what defines pursuing a creative life.

While all the imperial perks are certainly enviable at times, holding the keys to one’s own kingdom is what I’d consider a truly royal deal.

Family of Four

On a personal note: Happy Birthday this week to my 24-year old babes who are each doing a majestic job of developing their own spectacular and distinctive selves.

 

Melanie Rothschild is a self-taught artist whose elaborate interior accessories have been sold in stores throughout the United States including Neiman-Marcus, the shops at the Smithsonian Institution, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and hundreds of others for almost two decades. Her work is shown in fine art galleries and has been licensed to Target. She considers moxie, an irreverent nature, and a respect for mistake-making to be the tools of her trade. Melanie has a master’s degree in the Study of Creativity and an undergrad degree in Anthropology. She is from and lives in Los Angeles. Melanie is currently working on her first book for North Light Books due out in the fall of 2014. “Like” Melanie on Facebook today!
Click here to see more of Melanie’s artwork and a short preview of her documentary, MISTAKE.
Artist UniqueYou might also enjoy The Artist Unique by Carment Torbus.

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