The Morning Glory Metaphor: On Being a Woman in Business and Art

A reflection for International Women's Day 2025

The light in my Norfolk studio has changed this past week. March has arrived with its longer days and the sun is lingering a bit more generously. As the season shifts closer to spring, I find myself reflecting on what it means to be a woman, a mother & partner, running her own creative business in 2025.

The Wisdom of Flowers

There's a reason I return to flowers in my linocut work again and again. Flowers speak a language that transcend beyond decoration; they embody resilience, adaptation, and quiet determination. The morning glory flower particularly fascinates me. Each dawn, it unfurls its trumpet-shaped blooms, reaching toward the light with unmistakable purpose, only to close again as evening approaches, conserving energy for tomorrow's effort.

What better metaphor could there be for women in business?

The morning glory doesn't bloom once and consider its work complete. It repeats its ritual daily, each opening a renewed commitment to growth. Like many women entrepreneurs, I've learned that success isn't a destination but a practice -showing up consistently, unfurling our talents each day regardless of conditions.

"Making Pretty Pictures"

Reaching 1,000 Etsy sales in 15 months was a milestone that brought both satisfaction and reflection. Behind that number lies countless hours of invisible work — not just the carving and printing, but endless admin tasks, marketing efforts, customer emails, packaging solutions, design research, financial planning and uncertainty.

"Oh, you make pretty pictures for a living? What a nice hobby!"

I've lost count of how many times well-meaning acquaintances have diminished my profession with similar sentiments. There's a persistent undercurrent in how art businesses run by women are perceived -as if we're merely playing shop, dabbling in creativity between domestic responsibilities.

The reality? Running an art business demands the same rigor, strategic thinking, and persistence as any other enterprise. Perhaps more, given the additional burden of constantly justifying our professional legitimacy.

Carving Out Space

"Art is not a thing, but a way of being. It's about creating space for yourself in a world that often tries to diminish you." - Dame Tracey Emin

Emin's words resonate profoundly with me. Each day, I carve literal space into lino blocks, but I'm simultaneously carving metaphorical space; for myself as an artist, a businesswoman, a mother, a partner. I'm carving against assumptions about what women can achieve, against limitations placed on creative work, against the convenient dismissal of "women's art" as merely decorative or domestic.

The morning glory doesn't ask permission to climb. It doesn't question whether it belongs on the trellis. It simply grows toward light, creating beauty through persistent effort.

When I achieve something significant, like my recent sales milestone, I often sense surprise from certain quarters. "You've built a genuine business?" The unspoken implication: this was unexpected.

The Daily Practice of Showing Up

The most challenging aspect of entrepreneurship isn't necessarily the creative work itself but the relentless need to show up, especially on days when inspiration feels distant or energy low. Being a mother and partner while running my own show requires constant negotiation of boundaries and priorities.

Morning glory flowers bloom for just a single day. They pour everything into that brief moment of glory, then begin again. Some days my creative output feels similarly ephemeral—hours of effort that may result in a single print, a new design, or sometimes a failed experiment that teaches rather than sells.

But like the morning glory, I begin again. Daily discipline has proven more valuable than sporadic inspiration. My business grows through consistent, intentional work—answering emails promptly, shipping orders carefully, updating social media thoughtfully, and yes, carving new blocks with the same attention to detail as I did for my very first sale.

Climbing Higher Together

International Women's Day gives us a moment to reflect on how far we've come and how far we still need to go. Looking at my morning glory prints, I'm reminded that these flowers rarely climb alone -they twine together, creating networks of support.

My business hasn't grown in isolation. Other women artists, customers, mentors, family members and friends have formed an essential support system. We lift each other, sharing resources, opportunities, and encouragement. When one climbs higher, she creates pathways for others to follow.

As challenging as entrepreneurship can be, I wouldn't trade this journey. There's profound satisfaction in building something meaningful with my hands and heart. Something that reflects my values and vision, something that allows me to show up as my full self rather than fitting into someone else's structure.

Like the morning glory that greets each day with renewed purpose, I'll continue creating, climbing, and blooming -not despite the challenges of being a woman in business, but perhaps because of them. The very constraints we push against can become the structures that support our most beautiful growth.

Don't stop growing friends 💜