I didn't start making art to fill my walls. I started making it to fill something inside me.

If someone asks me which hobby helps me stay creative, my answer is easy:

Art.

Not one particular kind of art. I love experimenting with whatever happens to be in front of me.

Charcoal.
White chalk on black paper.
Acrylics on canvas.
Paint on wood.
And probably a few other things that I haven't tried yet!

My walls are filled with my own artwork. Some pieces I am incredibly proud of. Others remind me of experiments, mistakes and moments when I was simply trying something new.

And that's part of what I love about it.

The Hobby I Didn't Know I Needed

I've always enjoyed crafts and making things with my hands, but it was during lockdown that my relationship with art really changed.

Suddenly, I had time.

Lots of time.

So I started experimenting more seriously with art. I tried different materials and different techniques, and little by little, something happened.

I discovered that I wasn't simply doing a hobby.

I had found something that genuinely fed my soul.

And I don't say that lightly.

There Is Something Peaceful About Creating

When I sit down to draw or paint, everything else seems to become quieter.

There is no deadline.
No one is asking me to make it perfect.
There is no right or wrong answer.

There is simply the blank surface in front of me and the question:

“What can I create here?”

Sometimes I know exactly what I want to make.

Sometimes I have absolutely no idea.

And sometimes the finished piece looks completely different from what I imagined.

I'm perfectly happy with that.

I once came across the idea that perhaps art isn't really about creating something for other people. Maybe it's about the peace it gives the person creating it.

That thought stayed with me.

Because I think there is something very special about having a hobby where the process matters more than the finished product.

Creativity Doesn't Have to Be Perfect

I think we sometimes put too much pressure on ourselves to be “creative.”

We imagine that creative people must be naturally talented, artistic or full of brilliant ideas.

I don't believe that.

Creativity can simply be giving yourself permission to try.

Pick up a pencil.

Put some paint on a canvas.

Make something out of wood.

Try something you've never done before.

You might surprise yourself.

And if what you create isn't wonderful?

That's okay too.

You learned something.

My Walls Tell a Story

When I look around my home, I don't just see paintings.

I see pieces of my life.

I remember what I was feeling when I made certain pieces. I remember trying a particular technique for the first time. I remember the satisfaction of finally getting something right after several attempts.

My walls have become a kind of personal gallery.

They don't need to impress anyone.

They're there because I enjoyed creating them.

And perhaps that's the best thing a hobby can give us.

Not another achievement.

Not another thing to be good at.

Just a little space in our lives where we can switch off, make something, experiment and breathe.

So, What Is Your Creative Escape?

Maybe your hobby is painting.

Maybe it's photography, cooking, gardening, writing, music, woodworking, knitting or even building something from scratch.

Whatever it is, I think the important question isn't:

“Am I good at it?”

Perhaps the better question is:

“How does it make me feel?”

Because sometimes, the things we do simply for the joy of doing them become the things we need the most.

And for me, that thing is art. ??