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Painting for Peace

A Mother's Survival Guide

By Kristina BurkePublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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My dinning room art studio.

Finding peace in an insane world is hard. The past year was a challenge for everyone. The world as we knew it came to a complete halt and we had to discover new ways of connecting and surviving in a Pandemic world. For families with young children this new world meant no breaks from childcare, no playdates, no playgrounds, and it was relentless. It meant that I didn't get to connect with friends for coffee or go to work. I'm an actor and most productions shut down for a big portion of 2020. At the time my husband was finishing his 10th year in the Marine Corps which meant he still was working. We were extremely thankful for the continued income although it compounded my feelings of isolation. He was still seeing people but the rest of us were at home with no one to see and nowhere to go. Our family had to create new routines to help us cope and for me it involved art.

Our children turned 1 and 4 right before the lockdown began. Those ages are very active and it wasn't uncommon for us to spend 2 or 3 mornings a week at playgrounds or in door play places. To go from all that playtime to being isolated in the house was extremely hard. The kids didn't understand why they couldn't go see friends. During my daughter's naptime in the morning we established a quiet time for everyone. That meant my son got time to play on the tablet which was a huge deal. Normally, we save the tablet for long car rides or flights so he was ecstatic to have the change to play games ( ABC Mouse). This time was so important for me to recharge. I would look at my contacts and pick a friend to call. This was my time to connect with another human and remember I am more than a mother. These phone calls helped me realize that as much as I needed to make time to talk with people outside of my home, I also needed to make time for my creative side. I was craving art. I needed to find a way to fill the void that acting normally fills in my life. To do that I found painting.

In the evenings to quiet my soul, every night after the kids go to bed I would paint. Nothing original, all Paint By Numbers but the act of painting gave me a way to escape. The first picture I painted was an African Elephant. I chose it because as a girl that grew up in Africa it reminded me of home. Once I finished that my son asked for a flamingo. He loves them. Every morning, he'd get out of bed and run to see what colors I added while he slept. He was eagerly waiting for it to be finished so we could hang it up in his room. I did a number of paintings in 2020, and now my walls are covered with this new art. Someday the kids will ask why and I'll say -it's my Covid Collection.

Sometimes events happen in life that change how we function. For me the Pandemic gave me a chance to appreciate different art forms that normally get put to the side. I learned how to preserve my peace and make time for myself so that I can be a better mother. I hope that my routines teach my children the importance of art and learning to pivot when necessary. It's important for us as parents to find ways to recharge, so that we can be the best versions of ourselves for our kids. Our kids deserve parents that are thriving, not just surviving. The world is opening up again, but I have no plans to retire my painting. In fact, there's a half finished canvas of giraffes in wildflowers waiting for it's next coat right now.

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About the Creator

Kristina Burke

Kristina looks idwestern but was born and raised in the jungles of Africa. A mix of cultures herself, Kristina knows people aren't always what they seem. She loves people & seeing their hearts. She's a mom, actress, & veteran's spouse.

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