Spoiler alert: I haven’t!
That’s right - I have not picked up a paint brush since March when all this craziness started. I’m not really sure why. The only explanation I really have is that I simply have not felt inspired! And so, my unfinished things are still sitting in the same spots in my little art nook as they were 5 months ago.
When I see my artist friends posting all their amazing creations on social media, when I can tell they are pouring their heart, soul and emotion into it, adapting, coping … I’m tempted to compare my own efforts - and I come up woefully short when I do that.
Yet I know - comparison is the thief of joy! My process, my effort, my practice of painting is my own. It’s ok to put down the paint brush when I’m feeling uninspired.
Then I realize … I never stopped pursuing creativity. In this hiatus from painting, I’ve welcomed new clients to my business. I’m writing and designing marketing materials and websites for them. I’m reading (which always bolsters my desire to write!), and I’m editing a book my brother is working on. I’ve dusted off some old short stories, polished them up and submitted to a short story contest (more on that very soon).
I will be back to painting. I am finally starting to miss it, to feel the desire to pick up my brushes and keep working, keep getting better.
But I think we creatives will always find a way to be just that - no matter what we spend our time doing. This is just another reminder not to be so hard on myself. :)