Good News: Finding my love of art again

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When I was younger, I loved to paint. My paintings weren’t anywhere close to being masterpieces. But I enjoyed the hobby, and I painted every night.

Soon, I filled the walls of my childhood bedroom with paintings depicting everything from landscapes to calligraphy to attempted portraits of my dog. Some were messy, and some were clean, and while I never considered myself a professional, it was a part of my routine.

And then college started.

At first, I didn’t bring any painting supplies and pretty much forgot about my hobby. I was running from one thing to the next, and the time I used to spend painting before bed turned into time for me to scroll through TikTok.

A simple piece of art I painted during quarantine in April 2020. I used to always paint quotes on colorful backgrounds when I was younger.

creative outlet — something separate from writing articles, reading, editing and spending time with friends.

So, I ordered some new painting supplies on Amazon and settled in for a night of relaxation: just me, some slow music and the paintbrush.

I don’t even remember what I painted, but I remember running upstairs to tell my roommates how content I was bringing back an old hobby.

I gathered up all my art supplies the next time I was home and started to get back into the habit. While I might not paint every night anymore, I still do when I see a few hours of spare time or when I know it’s time to unplug and reground myself.

I have started to prioritize other creative outlets too. Whether it’s designing pages for the Graphic or enrolling in more art classes, I realize I can be productive in ways that are also relaxing and restoring.

While I do not foresee myself becoming a professional artist, I expect art will always be a way for me to relax and reset while learning every day my art doesn’t have to be a perfect masterpiece.

Painting frees me from ruts and helps me realize it is OK to spend time doing hobbies I simply enjoy, even if there isn’t an end goal attached.