“I don’t have time to make art.”
I’ve said it myself, probably thousands of times. It became a kind of mantra, a default response whenever I felt the tug of creativity but couldn’t see a clear path to follow it.
But I had a moment of clarity. I realised that it wasn’t really about time at all. It was about priorities.
I was choosing to do other things instead of making art. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing; life is full, and we all juggle responsibilities, relationships, and rest. But I was also operating under a very rigid assumption: that making art had to look a certain way. It had to take a certain amount of time. It had to happen in a studio. It had to be “serious.”
And that assumption was holding me back.
So I started to question it. What if my art practice didn’t have to look like it used to? What if it could shift to fit into my new lifestyle.
That small shift changed everything.
I began carving out just 30 minutes once a week to make art. That’s it. No pressure, no grand expectations. Just half an hour to reconnect with my creative work. It gave me a huge sense of satisfaction. I felt the flow return. I felt like an artist again. I started having more ideas, and made plans for exhibitions and events. I even sold a few paintings!
Was it the same as having full studio days like I used to? No. But it was good, and more importantly, it worked.
And I know this pattern will shift again. Life is fluid, and so is creativity. Maybe one day I’ll get those full studio days back (I hope so!). But for now, I’m still making work. I’m still progressing. I’m still showing up for my art, even if it looks different than it did before.
So if you’ve been telling yourself you don’t have time to make art, maybe it’s time to ask: Do I need to make a shift?
It doesn’t have to be dramatic. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be realistic and doable.
If you’re curious about how to fit more art into less time, send me an email to hello@artschoolbysubscription.com I’ve put together a list of simple, practical ways to make space for creativity, even in the busiest of schedules.
It helped me. Maybe it’ll help you too?