Creating in a Crisis

Thoughts on reclaiming my creativity during a family health crisis

We find ourselves in a place we never imagined, facing a difficult diagnosis for a well-loved family member. We are in that terribly anxious place between diagnosis and knowing what the treatment plan is.

Enhancing a creative practice, setting daily goals, and producing great art proves difficult in times such as these. Here are my quick thoughts on how I am trying to manage my own expectations about what I can do as we move forward, and hopefully past what we now face.

Abandon any external commitments or lesson plans. I had wanted to work through Julia Cameron’s Vein of Gold before this hit, but I can’t honor the commitments that the book asks me to sign up for. My morning pages have become limited to a single page, consisting of an emotional checkin and some prayers.

Do not sign up for any lessons. I will pass on signing up for the Spring semester of in-person watercolor class I enjoyed so much in the fall.

Do not expect to produce great work. Work quickly, in pockets of time that are free, and use them to practice some skill areas that need more brush-miles. Like these two small gouaches that I did quickly this week from my grab bag of art inspo photos.

Concentrate on Skill Building. I needed to work on cloudy skies and water reflections.

Are these perfect? No.

Do I see what I can improve? Yes.

Were they worth my time? Yes.

I even found a new technique painting across the brush strokes I pulled down to reflect the land. I put some white gouache on the edge of my drawing eraser shield to make few thin white reflections across the green brushstrokes.

Some other skillbuilding activities I might try when time is limited:

• Sketching patterns like Zenobia over at Dwindle River Diaries

• Blind contour drawing like Daisy’s Doodles. I did try this technique in the past, but I didn’t add color. I love the way hers turned out.

• Taria gives a goldmine of advice in this tutorial on her blog.

• Quick sketching in waiting rooms.

I even found a new technique painting across the brush strokes I pulled down to reflect the land. I put some white gouache on the edge of my drawing eraser shield to make few thin white reflections across the green brushstrokes.

Believe in the Healing Power of Creativity. Self-care for caregivers often falls off the schedule. 15 minutes with a sketchbook provides significant self-care: I feel less frustrated and my mind can get out of the groove of worrying. Art is recognizes as self-care, as summarized in this article that references a scientific study.

Use the Waiting Room Opportunity. Have you noticed that so many people now spend those hours in the waiting room hunched over their phones? A small sketchbook and kit is something I will keep in my car again. And maybe some knitting.

Tell me how art has been healing for you, and how you remained dedicated to your practice throughout the more stressful periods in your life.