I’m emerging from a ‘break’ from making art

I’ve been working non-stop to ‘make it’ as an artist since I graduated in 2008.

I’ve done some wonderful things and feel really lucky to have found ways to keep working as an artist (even if that meant also working in retail/ teaching/ other jobs alongside it). Being an artist certainly isn’t the world hardest job, but finding freelance work for 15 years was a slog at times

In that time I’ve rarely taken holidays. I’ve been forced to stop through illness and burnout, but the only period I ever stepped back from ‘trying’ to find paid work as an artist was the first stages of motherhood (I couldn’t really think, but I still ended up thinking about work!).

I’m not sharing this out of pride, or to humble brag about what a ‘trier’ I am. More for context of why I chose to step away from the one constant I’ve had my whole adult life.

I just got tired of it always, always feeling like a grind. I was forgetting why I was doing it. Forgetting that it began with love and joy and play. 

So I stepped away. I said no to jobs. I closed parts of my business. None of it was easy.

I encountered some of the more ego based parts of my creative identity. I worried about money. At times I even wondered if I’d totally lost my sense of self (I’m a bit dramatic ). 

But I learned a lot. 

So here are some of the learnings!

It also gave me the space to read, learn and become a better creativity coach, and build that part of my business. 

And what’s emerging from that break is excitement. 

I’m really looking forward to picking up my practice again. Though I don’t think things will be the same, I can’t wait to see where they go!