Teammates

Are you working with your spouse? Us, too.

And it completely mystifies most people. Here are some of the questions we receive on a regular basis:

"How do you work together? Don't you fight all the time?"

"Don't you get sick of it?"

"How do you spend so much time together? I can't imagine working with my partner. We're so different!" And so on. 

It's true. Brian and I are strangely compatible. To be full-time, 24/7 co-workers, co-business owners, married partners, and parents is a big thing. A big forever thing.

The short answer we offer in response to those questions isn't complicated. We are, simply put, good teammates. We communicate well and we communicate similarly. We understand each other on a deep level: we're both artists. Our individual needs are talked about and respected, as are our individual weaknesses. We ask each other for help and advice, and we both bring different strengths to the table. Despite working closely at Flat Vernacular, our studio practices are individual and rather solitary, and we both have our own interests and friends outside of our home, work, and family. We spend a fair amount of time lost in our own worlds.

Clear communication is really the key. The key to being good teammates, the key to making artwork of any kind. 

Do you work with your partner or spouse? If you have tips or want to share, we're all ears.