"I have cursed the joy of drawing as a hobby by turning it into my work 🤷🏻♀️ but it is also my work to find my way back into the practice, again and again."
Love this sentiment, and it's something I'm always chasing as well! Thanks for sharing how you practice with purpose Carolyn!
Your writing always hits in a timely way, almost as if you are watching me?! I haven’t been enjoying drawing as much too but, I agree, it is so good for turning up my senses and noticing. This makes me think about the concept of “art gym” that I heard on the Creative Pep Talk podcast. Maybe drawing is that one exercise I don’t look forward to but enhances all my other (more enjoyable) workouts? Thanks for writing as always. ❤️
Very recognisable, I'm also one of those artists who is not interested to draw every moment of the day, and I struggle to get back to it. It sometimes makes me wonder if I'm less of an artist because of that, especially when I have some artist friends who don't seem to be able to stop drawing, they even continue to draw when they're burned out from too many art deadlines (taking on too many projects for clients) and they're physically and mentally exhausted, they just keep drawing and drawing... I on the otherhand enjoy making art and it is my job but I could also easily put down my pencil tomorrow and not draw for 6 months and not even miss it much at all! I still have many other interests in my life too.
I also get that feeling of joy and inspiration in the beginning of a new art project but then eventually come into the phase were motivation dwindles and chasing the finish line can be tricky, I do get into a different mental state just getting the job done with less exploration, less joy and often less interesting results too.
I've definitely wondered the same—being less of an artist—but I find the longer I'm in this the less I think that way! Having healthy boundaries is a great skill too.
The dangers of making your hobby into a job 😕 it's so important to continue to find joy in it otherwise creativity becomes another thing we have to do and tick off the to do list. I like what you say about linking creative acts with going outside.
This is a good point. For me I always knew art would be my job and never saw it as a hobby but still something happens when it becomes something commercial you have to do vs. free experimentation/exploration. Nice to see so many can relate.
I feel this and as you know I've written about this. Why does drawing feel like a chore most of the time? It's only until now that I have started feeling differently about it, but the monetization conversation is already crowding its way in 😫.
Thank you for this honesty!! I feeeeeel this, and sometimes I feel guilt for not wanting to draw or loving every moment of it 😂 but it makes sense.
I've been trying my best to carve out time for what I call 'free flow' art that has no plan of purpose, no project or deadline. If if ends up part of one later, fine. But it has to start from something raw and unattached. It's been helping. Painting on found objects also frees the inner child artist in me :)
Great insights here that seem to be echoing other signals coming into my life at present. They whisper, "Draw more! Draw more!" I think I need to start letting go of the technical and embrace the whimsical--this obsession with detail and process is what impeded my photography journey over a decade ago. I understood the workings of a camera, but not the art of photography.
As a fellow former software engineer, did you ever find yourself struggling with this technical minutiae in a way that interfered with the actual art?
I relate to wanting to hold onto the technical, because it's more quantifiable and sure than the amorphous process of finding our own relationship with art! I have definitely felt compelled to systematize as much as possible, something that can be done but completely robs the joy for me once I'm done with a project. I think those rabbit holes of technical minutiae are useful, but need to be balanced with periods of receptivity and whimsy.
Definitely going to check out Odd Orange! Thanks for the rec! I too struggle not to turn sketchbooks into projects instead of using them as a place to have fun, the only solution that kinda works at the moment is having 2 sketchbooks, one that’s become a “project” and one that’s a “safe space” 😂 why are we like this eh
"I have cursed the joy of drawing as a hobby by turning it into my work 🤷🏻♀️ but it is also my work to find my way back into the practice, again and again."
Love this sentiment, and it's something I'm always chasing as well! Thanks for sharing how you practice with purpose Carolyn!
Thank you Christina! I look forward to your future updates as you navigate rebalancing your drawing/illustration practice with your FT job!
Really loved this reflection! Thanks for sharing.
Your writing always hits in a timely way, almost as if you are watching me?! I haven’t been enjoying drawing as much too but, I agree, it is so good for turning up my senses and noticing. This makes me think about the concept of “art gym” that I heard on the Creative Pep Talk podcast. Maybe drawing is that one exercise I don’t look forward to but enhances all my other (more enjoyable) workouts? Thanks for writing as always. ❤️
Tis true! I need to find that Creative Pep Talk ep!
Very recognisable, I'm also one of those artists who is not interested to draw every moment of the day, and I struggle to get back to it. It sometimes makes me wonder if I'm less of an artist because of that, especially when I have some artist friends who don't seem to be able to stop drawing, they even continue to draw when they're burned out from too many art deadlines (taking on too many projects for clients) and they're physically and mentally exhausted, they just keep drawing and drawing... I on the otherhand enjoy making art and it is my job but I could also easily put down my pencil tomorrow and not draw for 6 months and not even miss it much at all! I still have many other interests in my life too.
I also get that feeling of joy and inspiration in the beginning of a new art project but then eventually come into the phase were motivation dwindles and chasing the finish line can be tricky, I do get into a different mental state just getting the job done with less exploration, less joy and often less interesting results too.
I've definitely wondered the same—being less of an artist—but I find the longer I'm in this the less I think that way! Having healthy boundaries is a great skill too.
The dangers of making your hobby into a job 😕 it's so important to continue to find joy in it otherwise creativity becomes another thing we have to do and tick off the to do list. I like what you say about linking creative acts with going outside.
This is a good point. For me I always knew art would be my job and never saw it as a hobby but still something happens when it becomes something commercial you have to do vs. free experimentation/exploration. Nice to see so many can relate.
I feel this and as you know I've written about this. Why does drawing feel like a chore most of the time? It's only until now that I have started feeling differently about it, but the monetization conversation is already crowding its way in 😫.
It really does feel like a chore! Are you exploring selling your art? Keeping it really small-scale might relieve some of that pressure <3
I am writing about this very thing right now! We can talk more about it in person!
I’ll draw outside with you and I’m SO happy the weather is making it possible 💕🌸🌿
Yay Sara! Outdoor painting date next!
So relatable. It’s easy to get in your head about the death of passion—when a simple reframing can make a world of difference.
Much needed read.
Thank you for this honesty!! I feeeeeel this, and sometimes I feel guilt for not wanting to draw or loving every moment of it 😂 but it makes sense.
I've been trying my best to carve out time for what I call 'free flow' art that has no plan of purpose, no project or deadline. If if ends up part of one later, fine. But it has to start from something raw and unattached. It's been helping. Painting on found objects also frees the inner child artist in me :)
And thanks for these amazing links 👀👀
I love the idea of painting on found objects! What are your objects of choice? I was painting inside the pages of a vintage book for a while.
Love that! For me it's mostly been natural findings like rocks and pieces of fallen tree bark! So now objects feels like the wrong word 😂
Thanks for the mention!
Great insights here that seem to be echoing other signals coming into my life at present. They whisper, "Draw more! Draw more!" I think I need to start letting go of the technical and embrace the whimsical--this obsession with detail and process is what impeded my photography journey over a decade ago. I understood the workings of a camera, but not the art of photography.
As a fellow former software engineer, did you ever find yourself struggling with this technical minutiae in a way that interfered with the actual art?
I relate to wanting to hold onto the technical, because it's more quantifiable and sure than the amorphous process of finding our own relationship with art! I have definitely felt compelled to systematize as much as possible, something that can be done but completely robs the joy for me once I'm done with a project. I think those rabbit holes of technical minutiae are useful, but need to be balanced with periods of receptivity and whimsy.
Definitely going to check out Odd Orange! Thanks for the rec! I too struggle not to turn sketchbooks into projects instead of using them as a place to have fun, the only solution that kinda works at the moment is having 2 sketchbooks, one that’s become a “project” and one that’s a “safe space” 😂 why are we like this eh