So excited to be sharing my latest installment of “Mothers Who Create”, a personal project I’ve started that tells the story of artist mothers. Micah Hamilton is an incredible textile artist located here in Oklahoma City. She’s just a few days away from launching her newest collection. Head over to her Instagram to take a peek of what’s to come. Hint, it’s all amaaazing.
Where did your journey with art begin?
I went to school for sculptural studio art, but my journey with weaving began a few years after college in 2014 when I learned the basics of weaving on a small frame loom and started making little wall tapestries and pillows. About a year later I took a local floor loom weaving class and fell in love with the process. I was soon able to buy my own small floor loom (a super old one I found on craigslist) and I was recently gifted a beautiful, giant countermarch loom.
How did becoming a mother influence your art?
I’ve really enjoyed weaving fabrics to create wearable garments. One thing that motherhood has changed is my perception of whose bodies these clothes are for. After going through the very drastic body changes of motherhood, I’ve started challenging the narrow beauty ideals I’ve been taught by our culture. And now that I have a little boy to raise, I want him to understand that ALL bodies are equally valuable. So I think the biggest shift is that I’m becoming more aware of who is being lifted up by the art I make.
How do you find balance in your life as an artist and mother?
This question just makes me laugh, because I don’t really think balance exists in motherhood. Life comes in waves: there’s are ups and downs, ebbs and flows. Like, some days I can work on a project while my little guy plays contently underfoot. But there are also some days when he’s sick or teething and needs mama’s full attention all day. I think I could easily become resentful of those “bad” days taking away precious art-making time. But I’ve learned that it’s important to understand and expect that there will continually be ups and downs throughout motherhood. And that those “bad” days are just as rich as the “good” ones.
How do you involve your child in the artistic process?
He turned 1 year old a couple months back and this age is so fun. He plays pretty independently but is also super interested in anything I’m working on and wants to investigate. When I’m sitting at my loom he usually ends up crawling around inside like it’s a jungle gym or he’ll snag a cone of yarn or other weaving tool to play with.
