Caring for Art
Janice Withers is an accomplished artist, muralist, and art educator based in Raleigh, North Carolina. A lifelong learner and dedicated creative, Janice holds a Master of Fine Arts from Howard University and a Master’s Degree in Art Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Balancing the roles of educator, mother, and artist, Janice reflects on what it means to create space for the things that matter most. In this e-convo, she shares her perspective on balance, caregiving, and the ongoing journey of making room for her own creativity amid life’s many responsibilities.
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Mike: What has caregiving looked like in your life? When you're not giving care in the capacity you just shared, where would we find you and what are you doing?
Janice: Being a caregiver has evolved as I have grown older. My caregiving journey began 20 years ago when I started teaching visual arts to middle school students. Thirteen years ago, I became a proud mom, and today I am the mother of two handsome, brilliant sons, a teenager and a preteen. Recently, my mother-in-law moved in with us after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. During these past two decades, I have experienced caregiving in many different roles, each one shaping who I am today.
When I'm not wearing the hat of being a caregiver, you can find me in my home studio painting and creating for my small business, Art With Withers, LLC. When I'm not in the studio, I cherish spending quality time with my family and close friends.
Mike: With so much on your plate how do you balance it all? I think balance is often presented to us as evenly distributed. Like, this picture of scales perfectly weighted on both sides. For me, maybe the scales are meant to be in continuous motion, back and forth, and that's the balance? What does balance mean to you? Is there a tangible moment or visual that represents balance to you?
Janice: I love the idea that balance isn't something that's perfectly still. To me, balance is not about giving equal time and energy to every role. It's about recognizing which role needs me the most in a particular moment and allowing myself to shift without guilt. There are some days when my students need more of me. Other days it's my boys, husband, mother-in-law, or my own creative practice. Balance comes from continually adjusting, knowing that no one area of my life will always receive the same amount of attention.
The image that represents balance for me is less like a perfectly level set of scales and more like a pendulum in motion. I swing toward whatever situation needs my attention most, then back again. I've learned that caring for others, while also creating space to care for myself and nurture my creativity, is a constant rhythm of adjusting, not a destination where everything is perfectly even.
Mike: I have three small humans I am honored to love. But sometimes I create something, and it feels like another child. I love it, worry about it, want it to be valued. I want it to go, but also, stay. How do you connect with your art, and has being a caregiver changed that?
Janice: Yes, being a caregiver has completely changed the way I connect with my art. Before I had my children, I also thought of my paintings as my children. I nurtured each piece by developing my skills and pouring my heart, time, and energy into every work of art. When I became a middle school art teacher, my creative focus shifted. I stepped away from painting on canvas so I could cultivate young artists and share my love of art with my students. For many years, I poured my creativity into teaching, while my own artistic practice took a back seat.
As the years passed, I became a veteran teacher, my children grew older, and I found my way back to painting on canvas again. Returning to my own work has reminded me that creating is not just something I enjoy, it's something I need. It has become a way of caring for myself, giving me space to process emotions, recharge, and reconnect with myself after spending so much time caring for others.
Today, I believe my artwork has a deeper significance due to caregiving and what other life experiences have taught me. Caring for my students, raising my sons, and now helping to care for my mother-in-law have all shaped the way I see the world.
Mike: It’s said that caregiving can sometimes make our own needs feel negotiable. Has that been a challenge for you that you have navigated? Any tips for those of us who stink at this internal negotiation?
Janice: Absolutely. There are times when my own needs feel negotiable. As caregivers, it can be easy to put everyone else first and convince ourselves that our needs can wait. However, I’ve learned the importance of setting boundaries and sticking to them without feeling guilty or apologetic.
I truly believe that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Sometimes, we have to take care of ourselves before we can effectively care for others. Putting our needs first from time to time is not selfish; it is necessary. We cannot show up fully for the people we love if we are constantly running on empty.
My advice is to learn how to communicate your needs to your loved ones. Help them understand that when you take time for yourself or establish a boundary, it does not mean that you love or care for them any less. It simply means that you recognize that your well-being matters, too. We have to give ourselves permission to rest, recharge, and prioritize our own needs without feeling the need to explain or apologize for every decision.
Mike: I've shared how much I appreciated watching you drop off your art with your sons in tow. It is a beautiful intersection for a creative caregiver. Do you intentionally create moments for them to see you in different settings? My humans see me as Dad, but I love when they see that I actually exist in the world as different things, to different people.
Thank you so much for your kind words. That really meant a lot to me, and I appreciate you noticing that moment.
I absolutely want my sons to see me in different roles outside of just being "Mom." Since they attend the same school where I teach, they have had the unique experience of seeing me as Mrs. Withers, their Visual Arts teacher. In fact, one of my sons was actually a student in my class! It was such a special experience for the both of us and something I know we will never forget.
When I decided to continue my creative journey as a professional artist, I was honestly a little nervous about how my husband and our boys would receive it. I did not want them to think I was changing so much that I no longer valued them or their interests. Those feelings led to some meaningful conversations. I shared with them that my creative journey was not about becoming someone new. It was about reconnecting with the person I was before they entered my life.
I also love when my boys and family members attend my exhibitions and creative events. Obviously, being teenage boys, they are sometimes hesitant to go, but in the end, they always tell me that they enjoyed themselves. I want my boys to see me not only as their mom and teacher, but also as a working artist and business owner. More than anything, I hope they learn that it is okay to grow into different roles throughout life. You can deeply love and care for your family while still making space to pursue the passions that make you who you are.
You can learn more about Janice’s creative journey and support the artist by visiting the links below.
