Meg Menkis: Creating Beyond Art Therapy

Did you think of yourself as a creative kid? What does creativity look like for you these days?

I did think of myself as a creative kid, but that was mostly because people around me were very supportive in my creative endeavors. When I was about 11, I started to have severe anxiety, and someone suggested I come up with a new hobby to try to keep myself occupied with more positive things. I took up photography, which was, and still is, just a great creative and emotional outlet for me. I find I can often express things with pictures that I can not express in words.

How much time do you get to work on creative projects?

These days, with an active 3 year old, a baby on the way, and a full-time job, I don’t often get time to create on my own. I do make it a practice to involve my daughter in creating alongside me—I don’t always make as much progress as I want, but I just love watching the joy she gets from making art!

Working as an art therapist, it is also my practice to create alongside my clients, as well. I love the moments when our individual art pieces are able to facilitate a meaningful conversation. In art-therapy language, we talk about the therapist’s “third hand” which is the act of creating itself, helping to aid in self-expression.

How did motherhood change your creative practice?

Motherhood changes my creative practice in so many ways. Of course I don’t have as much time to create as I used to. The content of my work also changed a bit, as well as the mediums I choose to use. I have never considered myself a writer before, but upon becoming a mother, I found I needed a more tangible way to process everything I was feeling. Once I started writing, words just flowed out of me. I didn’t share my writing for a long time, but I am starting to put myself out there more. As I talk to other moms, I am realizing we all have so much wisdom and encouragement to share.

How does art enrich your life? How does being a mother enrich your art?

For me, art enables me to express myself more fully, find beauty in the world around me, and honestly is just FUN. Being a mother has only fueled my desire to live a creative life. Experiencing the world with my daughter, from her 3-year old perspective--I just love how she finds beauty and wonder in the tiniest things. I have a quote by Pablo Picasso hanging on my wall - “every child is an artist- the problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

Tell us about a day in your life, how do you fit in creative moments?

I feel most at home and at ease when I am creating in some way. Being a working mom, this can look different on different days. Some days, it looks like sitting with my daughter painting or playing with play doh. Other days it looks like taking a walk with my camera, trying a new recipe in the kitchen, planting some flowers in the garden, or spending some time writing in my journal after my daughter goes to bed (if I manage to stay awake long enough!).

In art school we were taught to have a daily practice of working on our art in the studio, which honestly is just not feasible in this stage of life. I prefer to think more about how I can integrate creativity - in all its forms - into my family’s daily rhythm. In addition, I believe integrating creativity into the home is a daily act of worship, ultimately pointing to the creator and sustainer of all.

How would you like the world to see artists and mothers?

Historically, the arts were a field dominated by males. I would love for women, and more specifically mothers, to not be viewed as “less-than” or inferior. We have valuable things to share! During a recent writing workshop I attended, someone pointed out that motherhood and creativity are so often seen as being in competition with one another. In reality, motherhood is a platform that women create from. I would love to see that perspective valued and embraced more in popular culture.

What’s your favorite super easy creative practice to do when you’re looking for fresh ideas?

When I am in a creative slump, I take time to look at what others are making. Sometimes this looks like going to a museum or getting some art books from the library. I am inspired by the diversity of various artist’s creativity. I am also very inspired by nature, so on a nice day I will go for a walk or a hike.

How can we support and encourage each other more?

I think it is important to remember that we are not in competition with one another. We are in community, and there is enough space for everyone’s artist voice in this vast world! I believe we were created to reflect the goodness of our Creator, which we can do not just by creating ourselves, but also by supporting and encouraging our fellow artists.

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Megan Menkis is mom to one very spunky 3 year old and another on the way! After attending art school, she went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and currently works with children and families in eastern PA. Meg’s favorite creative outlets include painting, photography, and creative writing. You can keep up with her writing on motherhood at https://megmenkis.substack.com/

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Hi! I’m Heidi. Writer. Editor. Mother. I’m interviewing 100 creative mothers, because I believe the more we see other mothers making beauty and meaning in small moments, the more we will be inspired to make our own kind of art, whatever that may look like during this intense season of life. Support the project by sharing with a friend.