Hannah Hurricane Sanchez makes art with two sides. There's light and dark, solitude and connection, struggle and hope, life and death, but always a connection between the two. All are equally necessary.

Hannah has had her share of odd jobs, but now, she works at a newspaper part-time, as a mother full-time, and as an artist, when she purposefully makes time. 

Learn more about her creative drive and artistic practice in the interview below. Her work can be found at http://hannahhurricane.com/  

"Society rarely values the work of moms or artists ... 

That's odd, because arguably these two jobs could be considered the most important for the health and happiness of human culture."

What motivates you to create art?

It is a mystery, really. Maybe it's divine assistance, maybe I am chasing fame. I think the motivation comes from a complicated and robust set of sources, some of them external like being a role model to my daughter, a good partner to my husband, and a good citizen for my community. Of course, inspiration from other artists is a big motivator, too. Social media plays a part in how easy it is to share your work and see what other artists are doing, it is instant gratification for motivation and inspiration. The other motivators are more internal: curiosity, appreciation, a sense of self and self-worth. Following your thoughts and interests, like recently with the Black Lives Matter movement, I was struck that in my own work, I rarely depicted black figures. The notion that society's and my own racial biases are being represented in my work, pushed me to explore confronting the conflict. I started by drawing black women, black men, and black children in my sketchbook and letting my mind work over my thoughts and questions. I think in that way, it is pure curiosity about one's own thoughts and development. 

I am always surprised to find myself at my studio table, in the same kind of way when I find myself exercising: I think, "Whoa. How'd I make time for this, like seriously how'd I get pants and a bra on, brush my teeth, drive here with a water bottle and actually work out?" In that way, I think it is a positive feedback loop; I am always glad I drew, or painted, or got into the printmaking shop. 

One of the major adjustments to being a mom is the lack of time you get to yourself, on top of constant exhaustion. Sleep always seems like it would be the best thing to do whenever you get a moment. I think claiming my sense of self was a big motivator for me getting back into practicing art. It's a way for me to value myself, and to make time to get to know myself better. 

What are some things you've discovered about yourself through art making?

I've discovered my biggest personal struggle is honoring a sense of home for myself. I struggle with the idea of one's home, one's background, and one's belonging, especially my own. As a child and as an adult, I've moved often — In fact out, of my 27 years, I just made my 24th move. So, I am deeply fascinated by parts of home: family structure, generational impacts, traditions, home layouts, house numbers, and street names. But I also hate the question, "Where are you from?"

In addition, I've realized how much I love being by myself and yet how deeply I care about relationships and people. I think my relationships have become my 'home': I use them as personal senses of place that provide comfort and belonging. 

More recently, I've discovered that I am odd-old-soul, and that is a thing to enjoy, never hide or apologize for, nor try to change. 

How does your day job compare to your art practice?

If I could draw a Venn diagram as an answer in the overlapping area between the motherhood circle and artist circle would be listed:

 no job benefits
 no compensation for hours worked
 no time off
 no health insurance
 no sick leave
 constant involvement
 &
 the biggest sense of joy and fulfillment

I highlight these similarities, because I think often about how this society rarely values the work of moms or artists. There are very few societal structures that exist to help support these professions. Most Americans probably wouldn't consider that work. That's odd, because arguably these two jobs could be considered the most important for the health and happiness of human cultures. 

On top of being a full-time mother, I do part-time gigs to help contribute to our family financially and to feel like a sane human being. I just started a job at a local newspaper, The Montague Reporter, as an ad manager. Before that, I stocked corporate office break rooms with snacks, and before that, I worked as a shop assistant to a small clothing brand, Eleventy-Five. The difference between my art practice and these part-time jobs and motherhood, is that my art practice can feel very isolating and hopeless. In my non-art making practices, I know what is expected of me: there is a supervisor,  an existing structure, and measures for performance. As an artist sometimes, I feel like I have no idea how well I am doing: Am I doing enough? Am I focusing on the right things? Where do I need to improve? Art is more open-ended for me, and thus, scary. 

How does your worldview influence your choice of imagery and technique? 

I've been insanely blessed in this life. I am very loved and happy here on Earth. I think receiving all that wonderfulness has made me see the world in a positive, bright light. I see the good in people, how beautiful our world is, the strength of many, and how it is all connected. I feel grateful.

All this is to say, I think my imagery comes from seeing people, situations, and places heal and affect one another. I like exploring the narrative of how things are connected and supported. Even things that seem darker in my imagery are usually there to tease out the duality and gradients in all of our surroundings. I think dark places and ideas are really illuminating and helpful to one's own progress. When you only look at the light, the dark gets even darker. So, I think it's important to be open to all aspects of people and things, to recognize the strength and struggle in others is also the same in you. I am sure this all sounds naive and perhaps idealistic in a quasi-faux-Buddhist way, but I really believe in the good of others. I am very trusting in that way. 

In a lot of ways, my very caring spirit is what attracted me to printmaking too. Doing art in your home as a closet hobby for so long was a bit stifling. In printmaking, you have to share so much of the equipment that you form a community really fast. There is always someone in the studio to help, to react to what you put out there, or just someone to listen to the same Ramones album. My artist-self really excels in that sort of environment. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I am really into bookmaking lately, and I've wanted to illustrate a children's book for a while now. So my newest othereight project is working on miniature children's books, which are books that are only 4 inches or less tall and wide.  My biggest dream of late would be for thousands of miniature books to be delivered to immigrants traveling with kids. The books would be small enough that they wouldn't be a hindrance on the journey, and the comfort and consistency of reading a book to children at night could be very special during these trying times.