So WHAT does a CREATIVE PRACTICE supporting WELLNESS actually look like? Here’s 10 examples for you…

Let’s dismantle the artist pedestal and get back to basics, exploring 10 simple examples of what a nourishing, accessible creative practice supporting wellness actually looks like.  

I believe that a creative practice with the right mindset, combined with nourishing intentional, holistic layers of soul-led enquiry, can add more depth, meaning and authenticity to your life. 

In my signature framework, Soul-led Creative Wellness, I take women on a journey from feeling creatively disconnected to creatively curious and then to creatively empowered. I believe this journey reflects our overall wellness, satisfaction, and connectedness.

The term creative practice or artist practice can come with an all-or-nothing perception, sectioned off only for artists or professional creatives. It can feel a bit daunting to commit to or surrender yourself to your creativity in this way. After all, there’s always that part of us that says, “Who am I to embark on a creative journey?”

I don’t believe you need to become an artist to benefit from a deep and nourishing creative practice. In fact, tuning into your creativity through holistic art-making practices can unlock your creative power in other areas of your personal and business life, too.

In my own art practice, allowing myself the freedom to draw and paint just for me in my sketchbook, rather than always having to create works of art that can be sold, has been a huge lesson and an unravelling and deconstruction of my identity as an artist. And this has been a really important process for me,  as I work to fully embody what I’ve learnt and what I’m sharing around the concept of creative empowerment being linked to our overall wellness. 

For me, this includes time spent art-making with no attachment to the outcome, in sketchbooks, on scraps of paper or stale craft surfaces that have been around for years that I would never use for my professional work. This part of my practice is super important, it’s where I show up solely for the process.

Today, I want to dispel some myths about what a creative art practice means, as I provide some 10 specific examples of what it actually looks like to have an art practice that nourishes you and adds this depth and meaning that we crave. 

I  hope these simple, back-to-basics concepts will help you to remove any stigma you are holding onto around worthiness or accessibility when it comes to art-making as part of your self-care routine. In my opinion, a deep and personal creative practice is not nice to have that should be parked for a rainy day. It is a ticket to nourish and care for yourself, make better decisions and feel less overwhelmed in your life as you access your natural  inner power and wisdom 

Number 1 on this list is time spent grounding yourself with creativity in mind, cultivating positive and uplifting intentions for the creative desires within you. This can simply include meditation and/or some journaling, focused on a gentle honouring of your personal unique creativity. Ask yourself: What creative desires are bubbling away in me right now? What would feel exciting to explore? How can I cultivate my creativity this week?

Number 2: Organising your materials and supplies—Get excited about your materials, treat yourself to new ones (feel like a kid in a toy shop), or discover neglected supplies or even unopened ones in the bowels of your drawers and cupboards. What would you love to revisit or experiment with, just to try, just to experience?

Number 3: Gathering inspiration—collect images, art, designs, themes, textures, and techniques (I'm a huge fan of Pinterest, by the way!!) and dig deep as you uncover your natural preferences and curiosities. This will help you feel inspired and excited to get started. We don’t have to start from nothing; the blank canvas comes before the first paint stroke, yes, but not the first idea.

Number 4: Give yourself permission to play and explore with childlike curiosity without any attachment to the outcome. When was the last time you gave yourself the freedom to play with art supplies? To touch and feel the paint or hold a paintbrush. This simple tactile experience can feel amazing. It can surprise you and inspire you. It removes this pressure we can put on ourselves to be good when we’re just starting or restarting a specific art-making technique. And it helps you to come to terms with the fact that not everthing you create will be or needs to be beautiful. Some of the art you make you will hate and want to throw in the bin, and that is completely ok. 

This permission to freely explore will help you to stop comparing yourself to someone else’s chapter 10 when you are on chapter 1. Because this is just unhelpful.

Number 5: Setting yourself bite sized creative goals to start with, always challenging yourself to expand on those goals as your art practice evolves. But only do this if it excites you, this is where you start to balance play and exploration with no attachment to the outcome, with a commitment to feeling satisfied with the finished artwork. It doesn't mean that within the creative process, you are focused and attached to the outcome alone, it means that you are expanding and challenging your creative skills as you naturally start to trust yourself and the creative process more and more to create a finished piece that you feel satisfied with - good or bad. It just means you’ll keep plugging away at it until you’ve taken what you needed from the process and you’re ready to move on. But don’t be surprised if the finished piece looks nothing like you thought it was going to. This is often the case, and it means you have gone deep into your practice and allowed your subconscious to lead the way as your artwork has evolved.

Number 6: Understand the excuses that stop you from following your creative desires. Maybe it’s lack of time, low self-confidence in your creative capabilities, perfectionism, or comparison syndrome, or maybe it’s because you were never encouraged to value creative activities as anything more than a silly hobby at best or at worst, a complete waste of time. These are all excuses that stop you from discovering and embracing the creativity in your heart.

Number 7: Prioritising creative time, even if it’s just 15 minutes a day or 1 hour a week. My ideal week includes a couple of days of studio time each week (I do like the bulk sessions), but often this is just not possible. As I’ve leaned into what my creative practice means to me more and more, I now start my day with a minimum 15-minute play in my sketchbook, even if I don’t have time for a big session. This just keeps me connected to my creativity when there’s a lot going on. 

Prioritising your creativity doesn’t mean that every spare minute you have needs to be dedicated to creating either sometimes a little Netflix binge or an indulgent hot bath wins, and that’s fine, but I know that my next project is waiting for me, and it won’t be long before I return to it. Nor does it mean you don’t love it enough if you don’t want to do it all the time. It doesn’t mean you won’t abandon some projects that you’re just not feeling anymore. 

It does require a shift in mindset. You’ll need to change your view from an art practice being a nice to have or an indulgent way for you to spend your precious limited time and learn to see it as a supportive and nurturing priority. I don’t care how busy you are. If you knew how deeply connected you can feel with a strong creative practice, you would make time. It would become a priority. If you’re not currently creatively engaged, I  wonder how much time you spend on relaxation habits that don't really serve you at the moment. Just a question for you to ponder …?

Number 8: Expressing yourself freely and using soul-led topics of self-enquiry to help you unravel hidden meanings in your art as you let your subconscious lead the way. This might look like pondering a situation or problem that needs further attention or reflecting in gratitude. There are hidden meanings and guidance within our art if we spend long enough pouring ourselves and our souls into it. You’ll be surprised at what emerges if you’re brave enough to go on the journey. Ponder your day, your week, and your interactions as you immerse yourself in your creative project and see what comes up for you.

Number 9: Bask in reflection—spend time with the art you create; don’t rush onto the next piece. Put on some music, some scents, and your favourite drink, and sit and stare at it. Journal about it. Talk about it, even if it’s just to yourself. It will keep giving back to you, whether it gives you more insights or truths or whether it gives you hints at what you should be exploring next. This can be a beautiful, reflective, and calming experience

Number 10: Share your art and or your experience with others—friends over coffee or lunch, your family, or get brave and share on social media. There is great power in sharing your creativity with the world. It can feel liberating. After all, the art we create comes from within us and is ours just as much as our face or a fingerprint.

I really hope you've enjoyed this episode exploring what a creative practice actually looks like. It's much more than the physical act of just painting or making. I think we put so much pressure on ourselves as individuals, as humans, and as women. It's just nice to go back to basics sometimes and look at it really simplistically. There is so much beauty in being able to nurture ourselves and nourish ourselves through creative practice.

A deep art practice really is a journey towards greater wellness and enhanced well-being. And I passionately believe that this will elevate and transform the way that you care for yourself. 

Take care, Sam x

 Sam Horton is a professional artist, passionate about the links between art, creativity and well-being.

Learn more about Holistic art practices for well-being

Sam's Art Studio and Studio Shop are based in Australia on the Sunshine Coast.

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