COLUMNIST
OurcolumnistLAURA BOSWELLonbeing
realisticwithyourcreativityduringthecrisisW
hen the best thing we
can do to help in the fight
against Covid-19 is to stay
home, you’d think it was the perfect
time to escape into making art.
In reality things aren’t that simple soaccept that your creativity will take a
knock as you learn to adapt to this new
way of living. I know I am not alone in
struggling to concentrate. I work from
home, so life in self-isolation hasn’t
changed much for me and yet myBELOW Laura
Boswell, Red
Falls, linocut,
44x59cm
productivity has dropped significantly
over these last few weeks.
For now, I’m finding it helpful to
focus on projects that I have already
partly started, or at least planned,
following through on work rather than
inventing more. If your energy is low,
this might be a good time to flick
through sketchbooks and revisit ideas
or projects, rather than inventing work
from a standing start. I’ve also
learned, in these early days, to set
my targets low. I try to complete one
useful thing a day; today it is writing
this column. That gives me a goal to
achieve and anything else is a bonus.
I usually achieve more, but I worry less.
Making the effort to maintain a
daily routine has helped me a great
deal. If art is your hobby, sticking to
as near to your usual artistic practice
as possible is probably better than
expecting your artistic creativity to
suddenly fill your days.
It’s fantastic if you are swept away
on a tide of invention, but try to let that
happen naturally rather than trying to
force it and risk it adding to your stress
levels. There are marvellous art
opportunities springing up daily, from
virtual gallery visits to online classes,
but take your time with these too.
Dip in and out as it suits you, rather
than setting ambitious goals.
Now is also the time to be generous
with your art and to share some of
your skills with friends and family,
whether in person or online. If you
are self-isolating with others, you
may have no choice but to share your
creativity, so best to go with the flow
wherever possible. Whatever you do,
focus on being kind to yourself and
relax; we can all work on self-
improvement when this is over.
Laura co-hosts a podcast, Ask an Artist.
Listen to new episodes at http://www.artists
andillustrators.co.uk/askanartistAccept that
your creativity
will take a
knock as you
learn to adapt