Artist opens the conversation on creativity in parenthood

She answered “why not both?”, and has set up a project to help other artistic women do the same.

“The project is called Conversations of a Landscape,” Becky said, “and its aim is to help women who want to rediscover their creative paths which have been altered as a result of motherhood.

“It’s a way to bring women together and share our experiences with maternal guilt, having to seek permission to pursue creativity and the difficulties of carving out space – both mental and physical – to immerse yourself in creative work.”

Becky’s artistic career began in London, when she studied illustration at Chelsea College of Art and Design.

Ceramics moulded into her life during a trip to Cornwall with a friend who was a potter, where that first experience of creating something with her hands ignited a flame in Becky which has remained ever since.

“What I love most about creating ceramics is that every piece is truly unique,” Becky said.

“You never know until the product comes out of the kiln door what it will look like, because the shape, curves, colour and texture always change each time it’s fired.

“The unpredictability of the craft can sometimes be frustrating, because casts don’t always turn out the way you thought they would in your imagination.

“Most of the time however, their uniqueness and quirkiness makes them more attractive than the image I’d conjured up in my head.”

For three years, Becky studied a degree in ceramics at Central Saint Martins school of design, one of the most acclaimed art universities in Britain.

“As art students, I think we had quite different experiences to other university students,” Becky said.

“For educational trips we were taken to the abandoned Wedgwood factory, where we could take our pick of the left-over moulds, which we would fill later in class.”

After graduating, Becky became immersed in the London art scene, and opened up her own studio in Hackney, where she began producing pottery pieces for contemporary interior design stores Mint and Designers Guild.

“London was the most exciting place to be as a young artist and my career seemed to be blossoming,” Becky said.

“But living amongst the rat race felt claustrophobic and I found it hard to think straight and collect my thoughts, which meant I wasn’t feeling very creative.

“I knew it was time for a change, so I packed my bag and went to stay with friends in Northumberland.”

A holiday turned into a forever home, however, when Becky saw Northumberland for the first time and fell in love with the “big open skies and perfectly clear light” that the county had to offer.

“I was captivated and inspired by the countryside.” Becky said.

“I began walking everyday through the wilderness, and that did wonders for both my mental health and my creativity.”

Becky’s work also began incorporating themes relating to wildlife, with illustrations of insects, flowers and birds featuring on many of her ceramics.

Not only did Northumberland bring fresh inspiration to Becky, it also brought her together with the love of her life, and fellow creative, Dan, who she later had two children with.

“After the birth of my daughter, I decided I had to let life as an artist go and change career paths to something more conservative, because as a parent, my obligations were to my new family and how I could ease the financial and time-consuming burdens which come with working as a freelance artist.

“But having lost the hours that would usually be entirely devoted to creativity, and with every spare moment being taken up with motherhood, I didn’t have five minutes for myself or my passion.”

In the search for a more conservative career, Becky enrolled to study a degree in paper conservation which she completed alongside raising her newborn son, graduating with a top degree.

Her work as a paper conservationist required Becky to repair and restore aged or damaged artworks and manuscripts, including the notebooks of Metamorphosis author Franz Kafka and telegrams sent from the Titanic.

It was during her time working in conservation that Becky was inspired to return to art.

“I worked with this feather-light Japanese paper which we used for repairs,” Becky said.

“It was so incredibly delicate and elegant that I decided I would try to mimic its style as closely as I could through ceramics.

“At first it took a lot of trial and error, but then, with enough experimentation, I cracked a formula that worked and ended up adoring the understated and minimal effect of the products.”

As much as Becky tried to continue in a conventional career, giving up her art was too much of a compromise and together with supportive husband Dan, she refired the kiln and started creating in her workshop again.

Over the years, Becky has seen her ceramics grace the covers of Elle and Living North magazines and most recently showcased her work as part of the Great Exhibition of the North, which featured a selection of bone china works decorated with Northumberland flowers.

“It’s primarily plants that thrive in post-industrial landscapes,” Becky said.

“These habitats exist in the North-East as a result of the rise and fall of heavy industry and mining, but are now themselves under threat.

“The work references environmental fragility, resilience and transience, which are also the qualities inherent in bone china, so it felt like a fitting material to use.”

The other big project in Becky’s life, Conversations of a Landscape, will see artistic women and mothers collaborating across the North-East.

“There are two strands to the project – walking, because it promotes a connection and inspiration for art alongside being beneficial for mental health – and creating a space for conversations with other creative mothers who have harboured feelings of anxiety and guilt as a direct result of pursuing a creative path.

“The overall aim is to help women recapture the creative passions or ambitions that might have been snuffed out or put to the side because of the responsibilities of motherhood.

“Everyone deserves to find time to do what makes them happy.”