Even if you don’t consider yourself artistic — I was one of those kids. I struggled with art classes and very quickly was shoved into a box. I was told that I struggled with STEM subjects and art, but I excelled in writing and should focus on that. Don’t get me wrong. I love writing. …

Art serves as a window to life and self — In my previous article, I delved into my recent foray into art, despite not considering myself artistic. In addition to all the mental health benefits of art in general, my recent art sessions have also helped me realize a few very important things about myself and life. 1. It’s A Process In the past…

Just because it doesn’t look “right” in 15 minutes, doesn’t mean you should stop there. — For this first official installment of my What I Wish I Had Been Taught About Art series, I want to delve into one of the biggest issues I’ve had with art over the years: being patient in how long the process can take. So many of us, especially those of…

So that You Can Continue to Grow — Welcome to the second installment of my What I Wish I Had Been Taught About Art series! The hardest thing about learning a new skill can be the desire to be at the end goal, despite the fact you need to grow to get there. Yes, the hunger for your…

Cliche, but often not truly taught or internalized — Welcome back to our third installment of the What I Wish I Had Learned About Art Series. We’ve discussed giving your art time to grow as well as accepting and embracing where your art is now to help you sustain growth. …

Sometimes erasing a “mistake” isn’t the best answer — Welcome back to my fifth installment in the What I Wish I Had Learned About Art series. …

A fascinating children’s book on art and life — I have a little two-year-old nephew who, despite the fact that both of his parents are dog people and have only had dogs for both his whole life and before, loves cats. Like begs me to put on our cat, Jack, whenever we video chat or see pictures of Jack…

More than I expected, and I expect, more to come — I’ve been shocked over these past months by the similarities I’m finding between a craft I’ve worked on for about as long as I could remember (writing and storytelling) and a craft I’ve only recently allowed myself to explore (art). Growing up, I remember taking art classes. My sister even…

Examples and tips — No, seriously. It is okay to take a break from your hobby/ passion project. In today’s culture, we’re taught to always work, always hustle, but the constant hustle isn’t healthy and there are many reasons why you may need to take a break from a hobby, new or old, or…

And don’t be afraid to embrace your inner child — Many of us who have shied away from art and consider ourselves “unartistic” have very specific ideas about art: who should do it, what it should mean, what it looks like, what is considered good, what is worth displaying, etc. In fact, when someone says the word “art”, you probably…

Adapting your art(time) to your current reality — When starting a new skill of any kind, consistent practice is key to success. And yet, life gets in the way. There’s an unexpected work emergency/ project. There’s a family emergency. You just have a rough day. As many a modern philosopher has said: Sh*t happens. But where possible, it…

Sometimes it seems like the world is against you — I’ve had the Bob Ross box set longer than I care to admit. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to delve more into art, trying to overwrite the years of believing that I was “unartistic” and unable to do anything better than stick figures. It’s been a…

Plans, Realities, and Lessons Learned — *Note this article was written in sections, both before my trip and after, which is why there are discrepancies throughout in terms of verb tense and the difference between what I had planned and what really happened.* When learning a new skill, we often want to keep up with our…

The benefits of the flow state, what it is, and how to enter it — “You just gotta get in the flow, man.” “Get in the zone and you’ll be done in no time!” “I’m having such a state of writer’s block! Why can’t the words just flow?” We’ve all heard some variations of these phrases. Maybe you heard them in a movie. Maybe they…

New art supplies can make all the difference — This week, I found and purchased a new art supplies kit! I was so excited to finally update my drawing supplies. …

Embracing my inner child in art — Art has the amazing ability to help our mental health. It helps us calm down and focus on a single project, blocking out the outside world. …

The key is creating something that speaks to you — When we learn about art, we’re shown the masters as examples, art pieces that are often featured in museums: detailed paintings, life-like sculptures, gorgeous photographs. Our own art is judged by how “good”, “life-like” or even “pretty” it is in comparison to these masters. And yet, art spans much more…

Tips for unleashing your creativity in your home, even if you rent — Despite what you think of when you hear the word ‘art’, there are ways that you can participate in art even if you don’t utilize the “standard” tools. Your home is a canvas. No, really. You decide what you want to create with your home. And not just on the…