Hello, dear friend!
As a new school year begins, I am celebrating having these glorious weekdays to myself, to do my work, focus on my art and my own projects…it's marvelous.
I feel so lucky and happy to have spent so much time with my kids over the last several years, and it is bittersweet watching them grow up - it truly goes so fast! And, I am ready for this new stage of life. I have already been getting more done, feeling more clarity and ideas flowing, just in these first couple days.
Pair that with the cooler air today, and I'm a happy camper!
“How can I get better at making art?"
Earlier this week, I made an Instagram reel to answer this question. Hint: It's the same way you get to Carnegie Hall:
Practice, practice, practice.
Most people don’t want to hear that. They want to wave a magic wand and be effortlessly amazing at all the things.
But the truth is, it takes time and consistent practice to improve at anything in life; art, fitness, writing, cooking...Even a couple minutes a day in practice equals progress.
And practice opens you up to even more: exploration, following your curiosity, working through challenges, and learning to play more!
Afraid of imperfection? You’re not alone. But you also have to practice embracing your imperfection and allowing it to be part of your practice.
And it’s in the practice, and in the process, that you find your true creative spirit. Not in any finished (or partially finished) piece, but in the way you are present in the moment, with your mind and body, allowing time and space to let go, and freely explore.
Here are a few ideas to help create an art practice:
1. Grab a sketchbook.
2. Commit to 5 minutes a day. Just 5 minutes!
3. Set a timer so you know when the time is up.
4. Follow a creative prompt or challenge (there are a lot of these on Pinterest or a quick Google search).
5. Or, simply doodle. Draw whatever comes to mind, but DRAW.
6. Do this each day as part of an already established routine, maybe while having your coffee or on a lunch break.
7. Compare your day 1 sketch to day 5, 10, 20, 30.
You will see progress.
Maybe not in skill or technique, but maybe progression of ideas. Or how you let go and become more experimental. Or how you FEEL about yourself, your art, your mental health or confidence.
Progress isn’t always obvious to us, but it is there.
And sometimes it’s the invisible progress that matters most. 💗
