The three pillars that keep my art practice alive & what you can do to reignite yours

The Three Pillars That Keep My Art Practice Alive

There’s this quiet truth I’ve come to realise, often when I’m deep in the studio, paint on my hands and the scent of fresh paint in the air: making art isn’t just about creating something beautiful. It’s about sustaining something within yourself—nurturing your own creative ecosystem.

Over the years, I’ve noticed three essential elements that keep me grounded and growing in my work. When one of them slips, things feel off... But when all three are present? Well then the whole practice feels alive—rooted, expansive, and joyful.

Here are three pillars I rely on to keep my art practice alive and three prompts for you to kick your own art practice into gear.

Inspiration – Inviting the Wild Spark In
Inspiration is the untamed current that runs through my work. It’s not always there on demand—but I’ve learned how to call it in. Sometimes gently. Sometimes with absolute wild abandon.
There are days when I feel so bloody flat, or the work feels way too heavy with expectation. That’s when I turn to play. I give myself permission to scribble, to layer colours I wouldn’t normally choose, or to use materials that feel strange in my hands. No plan. No pressure. Just the joy of movement and discovery. And believe me, as a former scientist who had to do every little step with intention and methodology, this takes practice!
I also love seeing how other artists navigate their own worlds—how they bend the rules, how their choices ripple across the canvas. It reminds me that inspiration often hides in the noticing.

Prompt 1: Play, test, try
If your creativity feels like a dry riverbed, set a timer for 15 minutes. Pick up your sketchbook or a scrap of paper and let your hand wander. No outcome. No judgment. Just the act of making. See what stirs.

Education – Deepening the Practice
Learning is a quiet companion in my art life. It doesn’t always look like books or courses (though those can be golden). Often it’s in the pause—when I stand back and ask, Why is this not working? What am I really trying to say? Education isn’t always about technique. It’s also about self-awareness. Keeping a sketchbook has become a kind of personal archaeology—uncovering what I return to again and again, what motifs keep emerging, and what I’m quietly drawn to when no one’s watching.

Prompt 2: Where feels sticky?
What part of your art feels stuck or uncertain? St with that feeling and take one small step this week toward understanding it better—whether that’s watching a tutorial, reading a book, going to a pottery class even though you're a painter, or simply reflecting in your sketchbook. Learning is an act of kindness toward your future self.


Support – Finding the People Who Understand

Making art can feel deeply solitary, and while I value the quiet, I’ve also felt the sting of doubt when working in isolation too long. That inner voice starts whispering: Is this any good? Is this going anywhere?
Things shifted when I found a group of artists I could talk to honestly—people who understood the messiness of the middle, who could celebrate the wins and offer gentle perspective when things felt murky. There’s something incredibly powerful about seeing another artist’s work-in-progress. It reminds you that we all start in the weeds. That nothing blooms without a bit of mess first.

Prompt 3: Start your circle
If you don’t yet have an artist circle, start small. Share a piece you’re working on with one trusted friend or even just talk about someone else's work if it feels too intense to share your own right now. Go to a networking group for creatives or artists, visit an art galley social or even jump onto a reddit subthread if it all feels too much too soon. But take a step towards talking about art, with someone who likes art, simply for the sake of it.
Let someone in. Even the smallest bit of encouragement can echo far.

Which Pillar Needs Tending?

If your art practice feels like it’s wobbling right now, take a breath and ask yourself:

• Am I feeling creatively nourished, or drained?

• Am I challenging myself and learning, or repeating safe patterns?

• Am I connected to others, or trying to navigate it all alone?
  

When all three pillars—inspiration, education, and support—are in place, the work flows more freely. Ideas come more easily. Doubts soften. And the joy returns. So, if nothing else this week, take a quiet moment to reflect: Which pillar needs a little more love right now?

And know this—however the journey looks, you’re not walking it alone.
Jess