Breathing in Life and Art

I recently finished a 6-page comic about the skyway system in St. Paul for an anthology. The art style I chose was intended to be dream-like, as if one is breathing in the atmosphere of the skyways.

And atmosphere is especially relevant these days. I woke up this past Wednesday to an orange sky from the wildfires in Quebec. My allergies and asthma flared up for the entire day. It was so bad that I had to wear a mask indoors.

Fortunately the next day was better, and the next even more. I thought I’d be able to move on to a new project but my brain had other plans. Things may have looked better but my lungs weren’t! My body needed time to process the
tough experience and bring in fresh stimulation to refuel my creative well.

As a neurodiverse artist I’ve had to learn that like the global ecosystem we live in, our creative life has its own intricacies. Things burn if we don’t lay down the groundwork beforehand to take care of ourselves. I have a hard time being patient with my mind and body when recovering but I’m slowly learning how to use that time to do nourishing things — to help heal the scorched ground in my life.

The creative life is a constantly shifting process but so much can be learned!

What do you do to manage your creative ebbs and flows?

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The skyway comic will appear in a forthcoming anthology at the Sequential Artists Workshop. I’ll announce it on social media when it goes live.

Meanwhile, hope your lungs stay well — and vote for policies that address climate change!!