Finding renewal in creative moments

On how a brief creative infusion can lead to restoration and healing

“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso

You know those days when you’re so mentally exhausted that even mindlessly scrolling through social media frazzles your nerves? When you know that doing something creative {painting, in my case} will help you de-stress and unwind, but just the thought of doing that thing seems daunting?

Earlier this week, I was sitting on the couch, feeling like something the cat dragged in. I tried reading, but the words didn’t make any sense. Scrolling through my Instagram feed felt like an assault on my senses. And then my phone rang.

It was a video call from my sister and 3-year old niece, Anahita. She wanted to know if I would paint with her. How could I say no?

I dragged myself to the studio, moved the half done painting that was on my table away, hunted around for my sketchbook and opened it onto a blank page. Then, we started to paint.

Our painting sessions go like this: I show Anahita my art table so she can see all the paints lying there. She’ll either point to a color that she wants, or cock her little head to the left, tap her finger on her cheek as she thinks of a color she wants, and I smoosh the paint on the page. The palette on this particular day was pink, orange, yellow, red, “very dark pink”, burgundy, brown “because brown has also become Anahita’s favorite color”, and a bit of black “very little, just dot dot” because, as she informed me, “Anahita doesn’t like black”.

Within a few moments of painting with her, I could feel my exhaustion start to lift. The familiar act of putting paint to paper, making marks, and finding images in the paint — “a princess”, Anahita demanded, and I quickly sketched her in — started to work its restorative magic on me. “Will you draw something else?” she said, and my eyes fell on some black dots that reminded me of a cat’s face {her favorite animal}, which she immediately named “Table” with a naughty little laugh. So Table the Cat it was!

After our call was over, I spent a few more minutes working on the painting, and then a few more short sessions over the next several days to finish it up.

But on that day, that brief creative immersion felt healing and restorative. My niece was the catalyst who got me into the studio, providing the spark that I needed to do the thing that I knew would help to alleviate my mental exhaustion.

But what about the times when you have no external catalyst to get you into the studio? When you know that your creative practice will heal you, but are just so exhausted that you can’t even think about getting started?

“Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.” – Stella Adler

I think the key is to set things up in such a way that there’s little to no friction. Nothing that will stand in the way of your creativity, that will make it feel like too daunting a task to find your tools and set things up before you can start creating.

I had a half-done painting on my table and none of my blank sketchbooks were in sight. There wasn’t much space for me to move things around because I had left my table in a mess after my last painting session. And in my state of utter exhaustion, the thought of having to hunt for my sketchbook and clear up my table was more than I could bear.

From past experience, I know that if my sketchbook is easily accessible, it doesn’t matter if my table is messy. I can still paint even if I’m frazzled and exhausted, because I don’t have to make too many decisions. All I need to do is open my journal to a fresh page, pick up one of the tubes of paint from my table, and begin. Once I get started, even if I paint for just 5 to 10 minutes, it helps me to feel more relaxed and restored, which is the true benefit of any creative practice!

An invitation for you

This week, I invite you to consider how you can set up your space so that picking up your tools is as frictionless as it can be. If you have a small home studio like me, maybe you can have a dedicated place for your sketchbook {and make sure that you store it there!} and tidy up your table at least a bit before you end your art session.

If you use a corner of the dining room table, or have baskets and boxes tucked away, or a couple of rolling carts, consider how you can set things up so that it’s easy for you to access your journal and a few of your favorite art supplies.

Because when you are mentally exhausted, the last thing you need is to make multiple decisions or to take numerous steps just to set up your space. What you need is easy and quick access to your supplies and just a few moments in which to create — most times, I’ve found that to be enough to help me feel a little more grounded and a little more functional.

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A few things to consider

When setting up your space, consider these questions:

• What are your absolute favorite supplies?

• What colors, mediums and supplies do you reach for constantly?

• What is your comfort zone in your creative practice? This could be a particular way or style of painting, or a process you could do in your sleep.

• What do you need easy access to that will make it effortless for you to start making some art?

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” – Thomas Merton

For me, I need easy access to a sketchbook; blue & pink acrylic paint; gesso; and a paint scraper. My comfort zone is intuitive painting.

So I try to keep my sketchbook in its designated spot in my studio; I always have pink, blue, and a few of my current favorite paint tubes on my table, along with my paint scrapers and palette knives.

I often paint in short little bursts of time. When I’m working from home, I use a few moments during my lunch break to smoosh some paint on the page, or to splash on some acrylic ink and leave it to dry, ready for some art time in the evening.

On busy work days, I try to take a few 5-minute painting breaks; when I do, I find that I can manage my stress more easily. This, of course, is easier to do if you’re working from home. For when you’re out and about, in office or at university, try sketching, doodling, or repetitive pattern drawing.

“Art opens the closets, airs out the cellars and attics. It brings healing.” – Julia Cameron

I hope this invitation and these questions help you to find ways to immerse yourself in your creative practice, no matter how briefly, especially when you’re exhausted and need something to restore, heal, and nurture your soul.

Join the community — let’s chat in the comments!

Or simply hit reply to this e-mail! Here are a few questions to help us get the conversation rolling:

What helps you to de-frazzle your brain? To alleviate your mental exhaustion at least a little bit, so that you can show up for the small, daily things that need tending?

Do you have a dedicated space to create? Is it easy/frictionless for you to pick up your tools and get going?

What creative or other practices help you to cope with stressful, exhausting days?

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