VOL 02 : SUNDAYS ARE FOR MOTHERS
With author, artist, potter, & homemaker, Kj Stone
Hello friends, I’d love to welcome you to the
Sundays are for Mothers written interview series.
As a mother, and as a woman devoted to not only my creative process, but also exploring different avenues for my creativity, intuition, business ideas over the years - some privately, some publicly, some for arts sake, some as income streams… I’ve learned that the road can feel lonely.
Not always lonely as in physically alone - though of course that can happen too… (sort of? With kids buzzing in and out)… But alone in the sense of feeling like it’s a mystery how any other mother does it. I’ve felt, many times, that I so badly just wanted just a peak behind the curtains of other creatives, who were somehow moving between children, a creative project/ their business/ clients, the home, to their lover, into their community…
I’d ask myself questions like “How do they balance it? Does that exist? Is it just a highlight reel and it’s actually chaos like my BTS? Do the dishes get done, or is she on the laptop next to a pile of clothes needing to be folded…. “
All the way to “I wonder how she decides to price things, Does she get Ideas seducing her in the middle of the night too? What’s her process, how does it all work?”
When I published An Open Letter To Mother Creatives
It became clear that what I had known to be true, and assumed true for others…. was in fact very relatable and we are all dancing and weaving in our own ways through the journey of our motherhood and nourishing the heart with whatever our creativity is channeled into.
Sundays are for Mothers is a bi-weekly interview series I’m publishing here on Substack exclusive to my paid community of mother makers.
The series is designed to demystify the mystery of the Mother Maker. To have a peak behind the curtains and feel both the magic and the monotonous moments of this journey as creatives. To be able to explore things like the realities of home life, relationship, raising creative children, making space for ourselves, the struggles, insecurities and celebrations that come with this walk. Intrinsically, this series is FOR YOU, the Mother Maker, to have you feel more connected to others, to dissolve guilt or shame, to spark inspiration, to normalise so much of this world as a creative, and make space for more ease within our own experiences.
I urge you to connect with the women interviewed, please come and enjoy the conversation in the comments, let’s create a little hub (or big hub?) of energy and understanding that I believe, we all crave.
So much love, thank you for being here
Love Kat
P.S This will likely appear too long for some browsers, If so - head to the app or
website to read in full.SUNDAYS ARE FOR MOTHERS VOL 02
Name: KJ Stone
Hey! I would love to start by you sharing a bit about yourself, your family, your story and what you do.
Hello darling hearts
I’m a single Mama to an almost 5 year old (what the heck!) beautiful, sassy and spirited girl named Alba Raine . I gave her her own last name and then gave myself a new last name when she was 6 months old . My old name physically left my body but not without a fight , it was intense and wonderful.
Her papa and I have a grounded and respectful friendship & we co-parent closely.
He broke up with me when I was fresh pregnant, at the time, it was hard in patches, there were some big juicy moments. I had, after all, had my heart absolutely smashed open. At one point I was holding it in my hands, watching it pulse… begging for it to stop. I had never had suicidal thoughts before, maybe experimental ones when I was a teenager. But this came in so strong and fast, and somehow I managed to grab it by the balls, I wrestled, moaned and roared until I managed to call my friend so I could listen to her breathe and speak loving calm words that brought me back safe.
Wowza, this is a dramatic start to my share haha! I just told my fingers to start typing and this is what wanted to come out.
Just like any dramatic/ grief filled experience, it is the making of us (again) and it most definitely was no exception. I had a wonderful and freeing pregnancy & stepped into parts of myself that were eager to be seen and heard. My big fat lessons were of course loud and clear … self worth and boundaries baby!
Pieces of me were whole and pieces of me were broken. I mended me back together through mumming, writing, crochet and clay. It did take some time to completely unravel from this experience and to FULLY accept my family as a wholesome loaf of freshly baked bread . I absolutely honestly LOVE our family dynamic and I have for years now. I love that we get to be friends and raise a daughter and send gooey lovey messages to each other about her.
Now, she spends 4 days with me living in a bus, which I transformed into a home, on land with 9 other humans, 2 old Italian men horses, 4 dogs & 6 ducks. She spends 3 days with her Dad in town, and they have so many wild and wonderful bush adventures together. He is an amazing Dad and I love their relationship.
The land that Alba and I live on is owned by friends and there is a beautiful octagon building, lavender labyrinth and yoga shala, that holds retreats for healing, resting, connecting and celebrating. Alba and I co-parent a dog called Moona May Lemon, with our friend Sarah Joy. Sarah lives next door to us in her tiny home, and we both live on a plot of land that we named “Fig Lane”. The driveway at the side of our space is lined with luscious fig trees. We are bordered by strong tall Marri & Jarrah trees.
Albas Dad and I have chosen the path of homeschooling, because we do not want to miss a moment of the precious time we have with her. We have to share her with each other, so it does not feel right to send her off to school and then only see her for the tired emotional moments when she gets home. This may change when she is older, I would not be surprised if she demanded to go to a regular school. I would like to homeschool forever and keep her innocent and wildly creative, but I also know that things can change and she has her own path to skip down.
I have set myself up to live simple and affordable , fully off grid, without bills . A small space that doesn’t take me long to clean and doesn’t stress me out too much. I don’t have much time to work, so this way, I can be the artist and the homeschool mother that I want to be .
I have known for a long time now that I am here to create beauty and connect people to their own heart and the hearts of others . I don’t feel bound to any one medium of expression. I do know that being an artist is the thing that feels the most me, here on this human adventure.
Right now in this time of my life I am a self taught potter, photographer and a writer. I have a studio in the industrial area of Margaret River where I make wonky & wonderful hand built pieces of practical art. I am always writing and documenting through film (mostly) and digital photography .
What are some key moments in your creative journey so far? (both failures and triumphs)