by Beth Blenz-Clucas
Laura is a luminary in the national indie-alternative music scene, with critically acclaimed recent albums July Flame and Warp and Weft, as well as an award-winning album for children called Tumble Bee. This singer-songwriter frequently collaborates with her husband Tucker Martine, who produces albums for top talents like the Decemberists and My Morning Jacket. A creative force and mother of two young sons, Laura reflects here on the challenges of making art amid the time constraints of parenthood and describes her perfect day in Portland.
We heard you have a TED talk coming up and are editing a book you wrote. Can you tell us more?
Tucker and I have been working hard on our presentation for May 2nd at Revolution Hall. The theme is “Pursuit of a Creative Life.” Believe it or not, we’re going to talk about failure. If you push through blocks and challenges, you’ll find delight in the discovery of new ideas.
Where do you work on your writing? What inspires you?
I work in an attic! We set up a separate work space for me upstairs at our house. Now that our youngest son Oz is two and goes to preschool, things have become a little easier. It’s been so important to carve out a space away from the distractions where I can get the silence and the psychic space I need to write songs and stories. I love working from home, but I have to have the discipline to buckle down and do it. This space helps.
As for inspiration, I try to keep my eyes open and notice things around me. It could be the petals falling from a tree, or something I see on the street, or something the kids say. Awhile back, I was at a farmer’s market and noticed the “July Flame” peaches. They in- spired me to write one of the best songs and albums I’ve ever written. I’m reading “The Wizard of Oz” to our kids now, and L. Frank Baum’s author introduction said something that resonates with me. He was bucking the moralistic trend in children’s literature at the time. Instead of trying to educate children, he decided that his book was going to go to wild and imaginative places. The best children’s songs and literature are fantastical and creative.
How has motherhood shaped your music/writing?
Well, it certainly puts the squeeze on my time! But it also gives me the motivation I need to work. So does the need to make a liv- ing. I have to keep writing and making music. It’s my job. At first, balancing it all with a baby was difficult and exhausting, but now I think I know how to preserve the mental energy and space for it. It helps to eat well and try to stay fit. That way, I have the energy to do all the things I want to do.
How do you make time for your craft?
Having daycare is essential. I find that I can get a lot done working part-time. Having less time can be good. I think the time constraints actually help me make art. You don’t have limitless time. The stakes are higher. Life is fleeting. I don’t take things for granted anymore.
What do you love about living and raising your family in Portland? And what do you like to do with your family?
We love riding around town on our bikes. We have a cargo bike to haul the kids around. We also live in a great neighborhood in North Portland, and I think there are 18 kids on our street. The kids and I have been a part of a Tuesday morning playgroup for a while now, and I love staying in touch with other moms and kvetching about the challenges of raising kids. I’m a social person, and love that I’m part of an artistic community.
What is your idea of the perfect day?
We love going to the farmer’s market, then meeting friends for lunch (Portland has so many great restaurants that are kid-friendly), walk around Alberta Street, drop into Collage for some art supplies, maybe head home for a little rest. In the afternoon, we might go to the pool and then enjoy a bike ride around the neighborhood. It would be a simple, fun day in the city.
What is playing on your stereo at home?
We’re into vinyl in our house. Tucker has about 1,000 albums. I just checked the turn- table. It’s Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, a movie soundtrack album from 1973 by Bob Dylan. Our 5-year-old son Tenessee enjoys listening to “Peter and the Wolf ” and audio books. Oz (age 2) loves anything with a beat.
What’s next for Laura Veirs?
Aside from the TEDX talk on May 2nd, I’m also working up a biography for Chronicle Books called “Libba: The Magnificent Life of Elizabeth Cotten,” which will be published in fall 2017. When I was creating Tumble Bee,
I learned a lot about Cotten from research- ing the children’s recordings of Peggy Seeger. Cotten was the housekeeper for the Seeger family. She was a lefty like me who played a unique upside-down style. The Seeger family noticed her talent and helped her launch a musical career. She began touring in her 60s, and continued into her 90s. It’s a great story. I’m also going to record a new album of songs with two high-profile women artists in the fall. Tucker is producing it, and it comes out in 2016.
Beth is mom to two Portland-raised sons, who are now in their 20s. She’s a big fan
of Laura Veirs’ work and enjoys Portland’s vibrant music scene. She’s also a PR flack for dozens of top indie family music artists from all over the country. Her home-based company is Sugar Mountain PR.
