How to Return to Art After Years Away

The French Window by Pierre Bonnard, oil painting

Maximize Your Space and Explore Online After an Art Hiatus

It’s emotionally intense to return to something you love after years away. A lot of you have experienced that or are experiencing it now.

A life gets in the way (and I mean that with love and gratitude) of art-making, and you have to figure out how reconnect with your creativity almost as if you are coming to it brand new. If you have taken an art hiatus or are returning to art-making after years away, explore these as first steps on your renewed journey. Enjoy!

Be Self-First! (It’s Not the Same as Selfish!)

It can be difficult to put yourself first, right? But I want you to remember what I am about to say when the opportunity to explore your art comes up and you don’t take it: You are a better person when you tend to your creativity.

It’s that well-spring of looking at things differently and seeing color and texture everywhere that make you special and unique. So please put your self first. It is not the same as selfish, and you are going to be in a better mood and have a better outlook when you do. And the people around you will love you even more for it. So put it on the schedule and keep it there!

Take Up Space

Take space where you can get it but do let your art take up space. Whether it is a shelf, a closet, a room — whatever your art needs right now, give it a place of its own so you can go there and jump into the creative flow without having to run around trying to collect stuff.

The space doesn’t have to be stationary. I have a big box and a toolbox that I keep everything art because my living space is small, but that works for me and could work for you if you are just starting out.

Just Look

When you just start a journey, you can take any direction you choose. But if that makes fire alarms of anxiety ring in your head, start here: just look. Look at art books, go to an art exhibition, browse an artist’s work online.

If you want to do some extra credit, keep a sketchbook with you to record your thoughts or artistic impulses or pictures that come to mind. But creative time isn’t always busy hands. Busy minds and eyes that are drinking up the inspiration — that’s a part of it too!

 

Portrait of the Artist’s Sister by Adolph Menzel, drawing

Do Warm-Ups

Take time to warm up your hands, fingers, wrists and a whole body. Art isn’t necessarily a contact sport but you want to refamiliarize yourself with the movements that come along with pen strokes and daubs of a brush. This

This warm-up time can also mean play time! Mess around and make marks. Close your eyes, work with your non-dominant hand, or use a tool that you’ve never used before. After an art hiatus, all bets are off so that mean there are no rules–and your creativity can do whatever it wants! Let it!

What Makes Sense

When I jumped back into art, it made sense to me to start by exploring media. To find out if I was a lover of pen and ink or if I needed a brush in my hand to feel fulfilled. If that makes sense to you, explore media now by signing up for the ArtistsNetwork.tv free trial weekend.

With 700 workshops to choose from, you are definitely poised to discover exactly what you want for your next artistic step. I’m thrilled for what comes next for you! Enjoy!

Courtney

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