Creating Through Resistance: How to Keep Making Art in the Face of Trials
Sometimes there are weeks–even months–that are exceptionally challenging. I started the painting above during covid. We were holed up at my sister’s house, trying to keep calm amidst the uncertainty and fear that most of us were dealing with. In a few hours, I was able to represent the storm that my soul felt, and it turned out beautifully.
This past week has been one of those weeks—challenges at work, struggles in my personal life, and a general feeling of emotional exhaustion. I keep waiting for life to smooth out, for that magical time when everything aligns and trials vanish. But the truth is, trials are constant in life.
For artists, this reality presents a unique challenge: How do you stay creative when the weight of your emotions feels like it’s pulling you under? Over time, I’ve discovered some strategies that help me keep creating, even when life feels chaotic. These approaches not only sustain my art but also bring healing, clarity, and even moments of joy.
1. Use Creative Time to Meditate and Work Through Emotions
Art is an incredible tool for emotional release. When I’m overwhelmed, I imagine the archetype of the angst-driven artist furiously slapping paint onto a canvas. And while it might seem melodramatic, there’s truth to that image: art has a way of letting emotions surface and wash over you.
When I sit down to paint, I allow myself to feel. I don’t push the emotions away; instead, I let them flow through the brushstrokes or lines I create. The process becomes meditative—each stroke or color choice becomes a way to acknowledge, process, and ultimately release the tension. It’s not always pretty, but it’s deeply therapeutic.
2. Turn to Media and Subjects That Relax You
Sometimes, the simplest act of turning to a familiar and comforting medium can shift your emotional state. For me, that medium is watercolor. There’s something soothing about the way water flows on the page, how colors bleed into one another and create unexpected beauty.
When life felt particularly heavy this week, I chose to paint a landscape that held personal meaning—a place I visited with a friend that felt like another magical world. That choice wasn’t random. It was a reminder of beauty, connection, and the joy I’d experienced in that space. The process of painting it allowed me to revisit those emotions and find solace in the act of creation.
Find your “watercolor,” whatever that may be—a medium, a subject, or even a color palette that relaxes and grounds you. Let it become your go-to in times of stress.
3. Engage the Frontal Cortex Through Art-Making
When trials hit, our brains often default to survival mode, dominated by the amygdala—the emotional center responsible for fear, stress, and fight-or-flight responses. To find clarity, we need to activate the prefrontal cortex, the logical part of the brain responsible for decision-making and problem-solving.
Art-making provides the perfect opportunity to do just that. Every brushstroke, composition choice, or color mix is a low-stakes decision that gently engages the frontal cortex. The act of creating pulls you out of emotional reactivity and into a more grounded, thoughtful state.
This week, as I painted, I noticed a shift: problems that had seemed overwhelming began to feel manageable. Solutions started forming in the back of my mind, not because I was actively trying to solve them, but because my brain was given the space to breathe and think.
4. Acknowledge That Trials Are Part of the Creative Process
It’s easy to think that creativity requires perfect conditions—a clean studio, ample time, and a stress-free mind. But some of the most profound art comes from times of struggle. Trials have a way of sharpening our perspective, deepening our empathy, and pushing us to express what’s often hard to put into words.
Rather than waiting for the “perfect” time to create, embrace the chaos. Let it become part of your process. You might be surprised at the beauty that emerges when you allow yourself to create in the middle of the storm.
