Monica Lynn Manoski is an artist, Reiki practitioner, poet, and nonprofit leader who serves as the Executive Director at Essex Art Center in Lawrence, MA. In November 2022, Monica became a mom, which has been her single most important creative act. While pregnant, she organized three exhibitions, including Jemila MacEwan's Human Meteorite and Jeffrey Mansfield's Architecture of Deafness. This year, Monica completed two fellowships—LEADS (an economic and leadership development program that changes the prospects of communities by driving systemwide change) and ChangeMakers (a creative civic leadership development program that builds a more inclusive and sustainable arts and culture ecosystem). She is currently working on a children's book called "Where the Crows Paint the Sky."
Published on March 19th, 2023. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What are you fascinated with right now?
Everything my son does fascinates me—his smiles, coos, kicks, and stretches (even his poops!). Seriously, it's all about him, and I wouldn't have it any other way. On his one-month birthday, while we sat looking out the big windows in our old mill building apartment, I was inspired to tell the story of the thousands of crows that choose Lawrence, the city where we now live, as their roosting spot each night. It will be a picture book for kids that uses my friend Timothy Kadish's deliciously textured paintings as the illustrations.
What advice would you give your younger artist self?
In living a creative life, I have seen that inspiration and my creative output come in different forms and seasons. I love writing, curating, and serving as a creative spark within my community, but I often don't find time to do all these things simultaneously. My younger self might look at what I'm doing now with some kind of disappointment. I'm not the rockstar artist I dreamt of becoming, and I haven't had a studio practice in years. But my life is full of passion and marked with meaning. I love being an advocate for artists and my community. I find it so rewarding to share the work of other artists who I believe deserve rockstar status. I'd also tell my younger self to relax and enjoy every moment.
What are your tools for creative resilience these days? Do you have any methods to stay positive when life becomes difficult and perhaps when you have limited time to create?
Time restrictions are real. As a new mom, my whole world and daily schedule revolve around my son. I never knew how much I should have appreciated eating a hot meal or deciding when I wanted to sleep. Despite the cold dinners and sleep-strained eyes, I know how lucky I am to have created a new life. Being a parent has been humbling; I'm learning from my son daily. I hope to return the favor and show him how to create the life he wants someday. For now, I've found reading good books (mostly poetry and children's books) and writing (often while breast pumping) soul-nourishing. During one of my son's surprisingly long naps, I found time to do yoga, pump, and draft the text for my children's book. When we first brought him home, finding time to shower and brush my teeth felt like an accomplishment, so this productive three-hour segment of my day felt almost divinely inspired.
What is your dreamy vision for your creative career and art practice three years from now?
My role at Essex Art Center allows me to support the work of artists of all ages and bring art into our community. This is something that brings me joy and makes me feel fulfilled. However, when I compare myself to other artists, curators, or leaders in more established or esteemed positions, I sometimes feel small. In my dreamy creative career, I am living in and enjoying the present moment, perceptive and responsive to inspiration, and making time for my family, myself, and my own art practice.
How are you being kind to yourself as you look towards realizing your vision for your art career?
I want to become more religious in my writing practice. Times in my life when I've dedicated even just a few minutes each day to it have felt so good. And when I show up consistently, the world opens up, and inspiration finds me more easily. But for now, I'm trying to absorb this special time with my son and really let it soak through me so that it stays with me once he's "big" and I'm back at work full-time.
What are you fascinated with right now?
Everything my son does fascinates me—his smiles, coos, kicks, and stretches (even his poops!). Seriously, it's all about him, and I wouldn't have it any other way. On his one-month birthday, while we sat looking out the big windows in our old mill building apartment, I was inspired to tell the story of the thousands of crows that choose Lawrence, the city where we now live, as their roosting spot each night. It will be a picture book for kids that uses my friend Timothy Kadish's deliciously textured paintings as the illustrations.
What advice would you give your younger artist self?
In living a creative life, I have seen that inspiration and my creative output come in different forms and seasons. I love writing, curating, and serving as a creative spark within my community, but I often don't find time to do all these things simultaneously. My younger self might look at what I'm doing now with some kind of disappointment. I'm not the rockstar artist I dreamt of becoming, and I haven't had a studio practice in years. But my life is full of passion and marked with meaning. I love being an advocate for artists and my community. I find it so rewarding to share the work of other artists who I believe deserve rockstar status. I'd also tell my younger self to relax and enjoy every moment.
What are your tools for creative resilience these days? Do you have any methods to stay positive when life becomes difficult and perhaps when you have limited time to create?
Time restrictions are real. As a new mom, my whole world and daily schedule revolve around my son. I never knew how much I should have appreciated eating a hot meal or deciding when I wanted to sleep. Despite the cold dinners and sleep-strained eyes, I know how lucky I am to have created a new life. Being a parent has been humbling; I'm learning from my son daily. I hope to return the favor and show him how to create the life he wants someday. For now, I've found reading good books (mostly poetry and children's books) and writing (often while breast pumping) soul-nourishing. During one of my son's surprisingly long naps, I found time to do yoga, pump, and draft the text for my children's book. When we first brought him home, finding time to shower and brush my teeth felt like an accomplishment, so this productive three-hour segment of my day felt almost divinely inspired.
What is your dreamy vision for your creative career and art practice three years from now?
My role at Essex Art Center allows me to support the work of artists of all ages and bring art into our community. This is something that brings me joy and makes me feel fulfilled. However, when I compare myself to other artists, curators, or leaders in more established or esteemed positions, I sometimes feel small. In my dreamy creative career, I am living in and enjoying the present moment, perceptive and responsive to inspiration, and making time for my family, myself, and my own art practice.
How are you being kind to yourself as you look towards realizing your vision for your art career?
I want to become more religious in my writing practice. Times in my life when I've dedicated even just a few minutes each day to it have felt so good. And when I show up consistently, the world opens up, and inspiration finds me more easily. But for now, I'm trying to absorb this special time with my son and really let it soak through me so that it stays with me once he's "big" and I'm back at work full-time.
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