As I’ve returned to my desk after being away from it for three full months after my surgery and physical rehab, I’ve gained some clarity about my art, and the business aspect of it. I think it can be very helpful to step away from the daily grind for a bit and reevaluate what it is you want from your art (and if art is your job, this too).
Taking breaks to reflect
Usually we go through our days in a mode I’d like to call the “everything is ok” autopilot. I’ve just experienced what life is like without that – a bit scary, to be honest. But I think you don’t need to go through a personal confrontation with your mortality to gain clarity for your artistic goals, or to reflect on your job choices, or what your next creative project should be. I’ve done these kind of reflections with a similar outcome before, usually yearly (winter holidays or summer break are great for this).
By taking a step back, you can see if you’re on track with your goals, or if you’re still enjoying yourself, or if you need to do something more, or less. I find these thinking and planning sessions very helpful, reassuring and calming. It’s like starting afresh from time to time. Tabula rasa.
I wouldn’t say I have it all figured out now. I don’t have a masterplan, I’m still uncertain about many things, I’m improvising my way through this life as we all do. If one thing has helped me to relax, then it’s this little realization. The others don’t have it all figured out either, they’re just making it up as they go, too. Control or perfect plans don’t really matter, so adjust as you go.
But there are certainly aspects about life (and art and work and so on) that you can steer in a general direction, and scenarios you can work toward. I have a much stronger feeling now about the things I like and want to do, and the aspects I want to have less of in my daily work – especially because I’m now more aware this one life is all I have.
Teaching + sharing my work
So I’ve been doing this art business thing for over 12 years now. I’ve found out (rather by chance) that I love teaching, and this has been a pillar in my work for so long now – teaching art is something I want to continue doing as long as there is interest for it. What I would really like to focus on is making my teaching materials and courses more effective so that people get more out of them. I massively enjoy interacting with my students, and more courses with personal feedback seem like the logical step, but I’ll have to see how that works out energy- and time-wise for me.
I also still genuinely love sharing my art and my thoughts, and luckily I’ve found this wonderful group of people to share it with. So this blog will always stay a high priority, even if I noticed it’s harder to get traction for pure blogging.
Limited social media + no marketing bullshit
Which brings me to one of the things I said no to a few years ago: commercial social media platforms. It’s now been 5 years since I dropped Instagram and Facebook. I find it important to think about and validate these decisions from time to time.
I’m still glad I pulled the plug before my sanity was destroyed completely by those platforms. Even if I lost a potential audience and some visibility (how much of it can be debated).
I still share videos on Youtube – I like long-form videos, and I have a small Mastodon account (an uncommercial social media) that doesn’t get into the way, and those three already feel like too much to juggle. For me it’s not about choosing a certain platform here. If you’re an artist and mainly interact with your audience through Instagram and it works for you and you feel fine with the algorithm-headaches, then do that. I’m very happy with the decision to limit the platforms I’m on, and not put too much time into what feels to me like having to flood lots of places with short-lived content.
But you know, I’m tempted from time to time. Last year, I had a very sobering experience with Pinterest, after thinking (rather being made to believe) it might be a good place to bring in new readers, it being a visual search engine for all kinds of creative things. It wasn’t worth the amount of mind-numbing work I put in, so I decided I won’t invest any more time into Pinterest. I’d rather draw more. I’m done with the marketing bullshit.
By the way, how did you stumble upon my blog? I don’t really know how people find me these days. Does Google still work for you? And please don’t say Pinterest now. Or at least pin one of my sketches to your highly engaging boards. ;)
(If you want the full story about my Pinterest experiment and why I think those type of highly marketed platforms are more or less dead for artists, let me know and I’ll write up a little post.)
No high-paced content output
The next item on my list is connected to the first: no more high pace “content production” for me. I know marketing people and tech bros love the word content, and they hammer it into all of us who just want to find out how to navigate the internet as a creative person. I hate it. I don’t see myself “creating content”, and I don’t want to be an art conveyor belt.
If I don’t have the energy to post each week or create regular videos, then that’s fine. I know I’ve already been living by this in the past, but to me it’s kind of a big deal to put it into words – when I started blogging it was drilled into my head that you have to show up on a regular basis and at least weekly so that people won’t forget you. Luckily, I’ve got the best readers (you folks!) who tolerate me being absent over longer stretches of time.
In the age of AI and endless shallow content production, I’d like to take my time, and share things that actually have a bit of meaning or that move another person. That’s why I’m doing all this in the first place. As a side effect, it allows me to work at a natural pace and avoid a lot of stress.
Who knows how long we will still have human output on the internet amidst endless AI-generated stuff and bots reacting to bots?
Deciding against clutter
The next big thought that gave me a lot of clarity is deciding against clutter (again, there’s always room for improvement it seems). Art materials clutter, desk clutter, digital clutter, but also art technique clutter, if that is a word.
As an artist, I’m naturally curious. I love new tools, art supplies, and trying out new things is a great way to keep your sketching practice fresh. But I also noticed I tend to buy stuff, try it out once, and then put it in a drawer, because I return to my tried and tested tools from before. I was becoming annoyed at myself because I was running out of drawers, and didn’t really make use of the cool (and sometimes expensive) art supplies I had. It’s an ongoing battle, and being away from making art has shown me how many art supplies I really have, and how few I really need.
I also noticed can think much better in a uncluttered room, with an uncluttered desk, each thing in its place – since I work from home, it’s easy to get distracted by laundry or empty mugs standing around, or just too many art supplies on my table. And, as I’m sure the first law of Marie Kondo states, the key to maintaining a clutter-free home is less stuff.
I’m not a strict minimalist (I love my plants and books), but I love having clean surfaces that I can make a creative mess on and then return to their former tidy state in a few minutes. Somehow this really gives me peace of mind. Keeping that state means less tools overall, more reusable tools, and less impulse buying.
In a few areas I’ve already found what works best for me (refillable fountain pens instead of disposable fineliners, having a few high-quality palettes instead of collecting paints from every brand), but I think I’ll have to allow a bit of fluctuation to be able to test out new tools, too. What’s worked for me is giving away or selling lightly used art supplies instead of just keeping and archiving them in some drawer (“just in case I need it”), it always makes me happy when I know stuff will be used by other people instead of sitting in my drawers and adding to the pile of shame.
I’m also currently working on some areas of digital clutter on my website, so if it behaves wonky, I’m in the middle of something. I’ll try to do the maintenance at times when not so many people will be affected by this. If you have a wish or you feel something is missing from the blog (navigating the archive, finding old posts, etc.), let me know!
Art technique clutter
On to what I call art technique clutter, or the tendency to do all the things. I’ve made a lot of progress in my sketching practice when I decided not to dabble in all the techniques all the time, but to focus on one aspect. I love all the different art mediums, and trying out new ways of expression, but I’ve only got so many hours each day. For me, that focus lately has been drawing, getting better at my sketching technique, and how I can effectively combine that with loose watercolor. I love gouache, and markers, and colored pencils, and I’ve wanted to dabble in in painting and learn printing techniques for a long time…but it’s all too much right now. I noticed I often faced decision fatigue when trying to choose what to use for my sketches. It’s far easier to start when you know which tools you’ll be using.
For drawing, I found I need surprisingly little. One mechanical pencil with an eraser and a few refill leads is plenty. A fountain pen with waterproof ink if I feel like ink and wash. My small watercolor palette has been serving me well for some years now, and I always return to it (yes I have more palettes, but again, there’s often decision fatigue involved).
It’s a great feeling to see you’re making progress in one area instead of stagnating with lots of possibilities. So for me, practicing one technique instead of switching tools all the time has been a good decision to build more creative confidence. Right now I’m thinking a lot about creative habits and how to get back into a regular practice – incidentally that’s also what my new class will be about.
All the other small things I want more of
I haven’t mentioned all the small daily things that don’t have an art context that I want to focus more on: regaining mobility after my surgery, being outside in nature, gardening, eating healthy, taking my time, enjoying my coffee in the morning, letting go of stress (and stressful people) and focusing on positive aspects of life whenever possible. This has been on my mind a lot in the last few months, and it has helped me to regenerate, but also to find this kind of clarity in the first place.
Again, I know making these plans doesn’t mean I have the perfect system now. I’m just readjusting my goals from time to time to see if they still match what I feel leads to a good life and to meaningful art. I hope this post had a few interesting thoughts in it for you – please share your thoughts in the comments, I’d love to hear what you think.
I found your blog through one of your tutorials on youtube quite recently actually. Something about the way you taught and the other videos about getting rid of social media piqued my interest and made me want to see what else you do so then I found the blog. I think it might be more of a case of us finding you rather than you finding us. As someone who hates the word ‘content’ and all the rest of the stuff that comes with creative social media I’m always looking for people like yourself who are looking for another way. I’ve also seen time and time again people who start with interesting online projects that as they grow over the years become more homogenised. From the outside looking in it seems like if you chase a larger social media audience then you get more people engaging with it but people that have expectations that are much more in line with the social media companies ideas for what makes good ‘content’.
Thank you Tom, that is so reassuring. And I’m glad you found me on Youtube and stayed for the rest. It’s cool to hear that other people react to the same topics I care about, it makes me feel less weird.
I’ve seen how lots of creatives (me included back then) thought they became more “professional” with their use of social media, when a large part of it was just catering to what the platform wants you to do (that homogenised tone/look). I think many are putting up with it because the platforms have promised us exposure, and an audience. All of this has been enshittified away over the years.
I’ve definitely made videos for the Youtube algorithm, too. ;) But I try to keep a large part of it fun, and enjoyable for myself.
Hello Julia, I found you on YouTube
I really like your thoughts, so often I can relate and you are very precise and pretty articulate in expressing yourself. It gets never boring for me to listen to your practical wisdom and all your written thoughts.
I hope you are health wise much better! ❤️
I bless your health.
Thank you for being you, honest and beautiful!
Rosi from Germany
Are you actually a German?
Your name looks and sounds like this.
Hello Rosi,
thank you, that is so lovely to hear, I appreciate it a lot. My health is already much better, thanks!
And yes, I’m German, I’m located in Kassel. Wenn du magst, kannst du auch auf deutsch kommentieren, da freu ich mich auch sehr drüber. :)
Good morning! I am happy to hear you are feeling better. I found you on YouTube a couple years ago. I don’t really go to Instagram or FB for art. My go to is YouTube. I hate Insta and Fb for all the comments. I simply cannot believe that people are so utterly horrible and hateful towards others, the politics … so I spend very little time on those.
I totally agree with the clutter thing. I am constantly thinning stuff out. I can’t think with clutter.
You do you the best way you know how. We are still in the background if you are on a break and taking time for yourself. Everyone needs that. Take care. I love that little bird in this post!
Lisa
Hi Lisa, thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate them! And I agree about the politics/hateful comments, that was what drove me away from Twitter at the time. One has to deliberately choose places to read and spend time on.
Hello! I too found your blog from YouTube. I’m still a fan of blogs and dislike social media other than YouTube. It’s a nice way to sit quietly and sip tea and read through your content. I also like substack articles for this reason. YouTube tends to cause me a lot of decision fatigue at times, with all the new videos they put in front of you all the time. But again, it is how I found your blog, lol. Keep up the good work!
Ah, I use Youtube in the same way. I agree about the mass of new videos though, it’s not exactly relaxing. I ignore all the shorts for the same reason.
And I too love blogs! I wish there would be a better way to find still existing/new blogs, but maybe that has all moved to Substack and Medium? I have a few in my RSS reader.
I found you through Google. I forget what I was searching for exactly, but something about sketching/watercolors/nature journals. I then found your Gumroad classes, and have been greatly enjoying them! I am not a naturally artistic person by any stretch, but have made great strides, and am enjoying the work. As a mom of many littles, I had to put a pause on some of my more time- and supply-intensive hobbies for a bit. Art and nature journaling has been perfect for me!
I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts on clutter. I feel I am constantly culling and refining in my life, whether with my time or our possessions.
Thanks Alix, so Google still works! I find that it very often spits out only ads and SEO stuff, it’s hard to find good websites.
I’m glad you enjoy my courses and great that you like nature journaling so much. :-)
And the clutter has to be attacked, definitely!
Thank you, it made me feel good to read this post in your blog this morning! Your writings made me think about what is wrong in my life right now.
As for discovering your blog, I don’t remember how I discovered it, probably while researching plein air sketching, because I love it.
You’re welcome Nicole, and I’m glad to hear the post brought you some ideas. Just approach changes one step at a time, I find that’s challenging enough. :)
Hi Julia-
Thank you for alll of your wonderful posts. I too agree with the issues of social media and the toxicity (and distraction) caused by these platforms. Your writing is thoughtful and insightful and I am happy that you are committed to continuing with it (and teaching)!
I found you on Skillshare – first with your class on birds, which is outstanding and then also with your other videos on nature sketching through the seasons. I love your work and teaching style! Due to you, I am now a bird enthusiast as well as nature sketcher. I also watch your YouTube videos, which are also excellent tutorials for sketching and especially enjoy your sketchbook overviews.
All the best to you in your recovery and continued success in your art. I agree with the comment above about the bird sketch – it is lovely!
Sue
Hi Sue, thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind words.
Ah yes, Skillshare is another place to find good art teachers, I really hope they won’t make too many changes to their platform. Glad you found your way here. :)
Great that you’ve grown to be such a bird enthusiast and sketcher!
Hello Julia, I recently found you on YouTube while I was searching tips for botanical drawing. I just started to draw and I’m fascinated by watercolours. I share your thoughts and love reading your blogs. About that, what I can’t find anymore is a recent blog post about watercolour palettes comparisons. You highlight sharp edges and show us some little metal watercolour palette with no brand name. I appreciate that your blog is authentic and reflect your true experiences. Thank you. Adamalia from Italy.
Hi Adamalia, I’m happy you hopped over from Youtube and are here now. :-)
I think you might mean this post: https://juliabausenhardt.com/my-current-sketching-palette-changes-to-my-palette-march-2023/
I roughly remembered which one it was and found it in the blog archives, but I will try and see to give the site a better search.
Thank you!
Julia,
I have to tell the truth and I found you on Pinterest. Only out of desperation do I go there. I had a moment of trying to find nature journalists who are current today and not from 6 years ago and do not add new stuff. I feel so alone when it comes to wanting to draw but I resort back to nature everytime and was so happy when I came across your work. I struggle with other platforms as well just because I am not that techy but You tube is fairly simple for me. I like simple and let go of the reasons why I love nature so much and just want to learn. Thank you for all the help you have given and sharing your talent with us.
Haha! Carolin, it’s awesome you found me there and stayed for the rest. I know how hard it can be to find blogs these days, Google hides them pretty well, and Pinterest…well, how it works is a mystery to me, but it brought you here, so hooray! :) Maybe we should organize a webring, or blog roll link lists like in the old days to stay connected.
I too like a more simple approach, in art and in life, and tech.
I think I found your blog through reading about artists who had quit using social media. I’m a creative, with a website and a blog, who also felt the pressure to use as many different platforms as possible. It was mentally exhausting. After reading several different accounts of creatives who quit social media, I did, too. I still wonder sometimes about the wisdom of that, but when I encounter problems with my website (like, last night!) and need to spend time fixing them, I don’t question the other! Another artist whose work and words I love is Gwenn Seemel; she is very outspoken about having quit social media. Like you, she also is very thoughtful about what she puts into her blog posts. You and she are my people. I need to find more of my people! I love long-form, thoughtful blog posts and newsletters. Your post today, as usual, has given me a lot to think about. Thank you for what you do in addition to making your art. I am glad you are feeling better, too. The brush with mortality is no joke; it really does clarify a lot.
Ah that’s so interesting Colleen, thanks for sharing. I remember that Gwenn did an interview with some of us at one point.
Yes, the decision to quit social media can feel a bit lonely sometimes – I question it from time to time too, but then I think of all the time and nerves it saved me, and the pressure to conform to the platforms, not to say anything about how they just take our intellectual property and shove it into their AIs.
There are a few other artists, but I agree we have to find more!
The first artist who I encountered who had quit social media was Dave Morrow – he’s a landscape photographer on Youtube. Really interesting guy who goes hiking in the wilderness for the majority of the year and then just drops a few photo technique videos once a year. I think Anne Butera (a fellow Skillshare teacher and blogger) also has written about how she quit Instagram. You already mentioned Gwenn Seemel, I love her work and how she addresses current issues, too. I’ve met a few other people on Mastodon who avoid the big platforms, but Mastodon is another busy stream to plug into, so I don’t use it that much.
Good morning, Julia,
Thank you so much for this thoughtful post. I am not surprised to read that you’ve realized that interactive teaching is something you love; you are such a fine teacher. (I taught college students Ethics for many years, and having sort of retired now, I find that I really miss that way of being with people.)
I found you through YouTube because I wanted to learn to draw. My father was an artist and theater person, and such an excellent draftsman that I think I may have been a little intimidated by his skills. He’s been gone for over a decade now, but I find that sometimes when I’m sketching I wish he could be looking over my shoulder and giving me a word of advice.
Your decision to stay away from social media with its incessant thirst for “content” makes so much sense to me. I seem to be allergic to that form of human interaction, which is not so good for the other part of my life, which is being a union organizer. On the other hand, even in that world, there is no substitute for direct, face-to-face conversation.
Thank you for everything you so generously share with us. Looking forward to when you resume teaching!
Thank you Rebecca, I really appreciate your kind words! I always half-joke with my partner (who is a high-school teacher) that we sort of have the same job now, although I could never do his work and stand in front of classes each day. I have the highest respect for any real-life teacher, and I’m very interested in what goes into creating a good lesson. I just learnt what works by throwing stuff at the wall.
I think it’s very relatable you’d like your father’s guidance when you draw, and maybe you thinking of him is already a helpful presence or thought. Look at his work (if you still have access) and study it. See how he did it and sort of reverse engineer it, that’s one great way to learn.
And while I don’t have data, I’d suspect that the hard, time-consuming face-to-face interaction is the thing that will bring the best effects in your union work, because it directly affects and moves people. You can click like or thumbs up or sign petitions on the internet all day, but that doesn’t change a single thing in the real world. So I’d say continue looking for those direct conversations.
Hi Julia. Hope you are feeling much better now. Your point about having too many mediums around really resonated. I have just started my art journey in the last couple of years and find I’m not advancing as fast as I’d like because I’m trying to learn too many things at the same time. I really need to concentrate on sketching first and then water colour. I think I found you on Youtube and have loved your videos. I have a site you may want to check out just for your own interest. https://dailystoic.com/ I have nothing to do with them but I do enjoy their emails with snippets of life wisdom. It’s very down to earth. Thank you for sharing your art!
Hi Mary, yes it can be really hard to decide on one medium when you see so many other beautiful artworks around. But sketching and watercolor is a really good combination, and you can sort of study them together, just focus on the basics of each technique at first.
Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll check it out!
I found your blog in a very old-fashioned way: searching the Feedly RSS reader for watercolor blogs :) I’m also a watercolor blogger and I wanted to find more. While blogging can feel out-of-fashion these days, I put a lot of love into my handcrafted longform posts because that’s what I love to read. There’s a big difference between AI generated bullshit and thoughtful communications by a real person, and I really appreciate that you are holding the line here!
I relate to so much of what you have said. I’m preparing for a 5000km international move where I’m getting my possessions down to suitcases, so decluttering is definitely on my mind. I find it hard to get rid of art tools, paint colors, etc. because “what if I need it,” but in practice, I’m more calm and satisfied when I know exactly what tool I’m going to use _and have no other options_. At the same time, I crave novelty and like to shake things up every so often. I don’t know the solution long-term, but for now, _not_ having the “what if I need it” stuff feels like a weight lifted.
Feed Readers for the win! I will definitely add your blog to my RSS list. :)
I too am always so happy to find “real” blogs written by actual humans, not SEO farming bullshit or, even worse, discovering an abandoned blog because the person transitioned their output to a social media content silo.
Wow, all the best for your move and good luck with decluttering your art supplies! I go between these two thoughts all the time, I think inside we all are somewhat curious and novelty-seeking, and the collecting and hoarding has definitely been worsened for me since I have access to product reviews online. ;-)
Hi Julia,
I discovered you and your blog a few years ago now through the Skillshare platform…..I really enjoy your style of teaching and thoroughly enjoy your blogs and thoughts about art and social media. I do very little on face book….i just can’t stand all the bickering and bitchiness.
I am so glad you are feeling better and stronger………will look forward to your blogs and sketching.
Stay well
Janey
Hey Janey,
thank you for your kind words!
Yes, Skillshare is really a nice creatively-focused place and very good for finding art teachers. I wish more of them had a blog!
Dear Julia,
I’m also glad you are feeling better. Thank you so much for taking the time for sharing your thoughts. You hit several major points that express exactly how I feel in regards to social media. It is a tool, it can be very helpful but also overwhelming. I really appreciate your stance, it encourages me that my similar feelings were valid. Living simply and intentional is very important. Take care and thank you for the inspiration, your blog encourages me to slow down and enjoy the moment, like reading a letter from a friend
Thank you Jenny, I really appreciate your kind and supportive words! Slowing down and enjoying the moment for what it is – that’s something I try to practice every day. On some days it’s hard, on some days it just works. Thank you for the reminder.
Thank you, Julia. This blog was exactly what I needed this morning. I’m happy to know that your physical health is improving. My husband is currently in physical rehab following back surgery, and your post is really encouraging. Now for the decluttering part…surroundings, mental and emotional. I’m also looking forward to getting back to sketching. Best to you.
Thank you Jane, and I wish your husband a speedy recovery!
Hi Julia,
Really pleased to hear you are recovering well. I’ve recently been in hospital so can empathise with your thoughts about reflection. I found you by happy accident on YouTube. You are the first artist and art teacher who had helped me to think about drawing in the context of nature and life in general rather than just producing a drawing or painting . I think this is because your blogs exude a calmness and tranquility that is difficult to express. I can only say that your thoughts, reflections and sketches just slow me down and make me feel better – don’t ask me why, but thank you.
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback Mike, I really appreciate it! I’m glad you found me on Youtube and landed here. It’s interesting how your approach to art changed.
I hope you’re recovering well!
Hello Julia,
I also live in Germany, in Berlin, but since you keep your blog in English, I’m using a translation tool for my comment :)
I’m always very happy when I find your newsletter in my inbox and I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling better.
I came across you on YouTube when I was looking for videos about nature journaling. I really like your calm, decelerated style. Nature journaling is one of my hobbies and I’m currently building a business around it, a web store.
And that’s where the second part that I love about your “content” (in German, I did not use this word ;) ) comes into play. Namely, (professional) life without social media. I don’t use any social media in my private life and never have. But now it’s being suggested everywhere that you can’t start and successfully build a business these days without using social media. In my case, the result is that I’ve been trying unsuccessfully for months to somehow get to grips with social media professionally. In the end, I’m just paralyzed and losing interest in my business.
That’s why I’m so grateful for you and your blog post. I’m currently recharging my batteries and thinking about just doing it the way I originally intended, without “content production” for social media. I would be interested to hear about your experiences with Pinterest. For myself, Pinterest is quite enjoyable and I get a lot more website visitors through it than through Instagram or TikTok, which I’ve also tried. I haven’t found my way yet either (which is ok) and it’s nice to read that this is part of it for others too.
I wish you all the best! And if you would like to stay in touch, as working from home can sometimes be a bit lonely (at least that’s how it feels for me), let me know :)
Hi Jasmin,
du darfst aber auch gern aus deutsch schreiben, das ist kein Problem.
Thank you for your kind words and for having found my blog. I understand how challenging it can be to avoid social media in a business context. I know everyone says you need to be on these platforms. I think you need connections to other people, and discoverability. I’m not sure how well social networks work for that these days, but a good presence in search engines (and Pinterest is one of those) doesn’t hurt. Great that Pinterest seems to work for you, I think I just got fed up with it before I saw results.
But I can totally understand how all of this can be overwhelming and demotivating, especially when you’ve just started your business. Just take one step at a time.
And sure, let’s stay in touch. :) If you ever want to chat, just send me an email!
Glad you are recovering and had time to contemplate your art, business and supplies! I found your art through Skillshare and enjoy your loose but precise method! I enjoy your blog — the tips and your honesty about social media, etc. I have just read a book, Wabi Sabi, and the Japanese principles are phenomenal! Decluttering is part of simplicity and I think it clears space in our mind as well to focus on our true joy, peace & what’s truly important in our lives! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Karen! I love Japanese design and art, and I have wanted to learn more about the cultural aspects of it. I think that book will go on my list – thanks for mentioning it!
Hi Julia, it’s great to hear from you again! I am glad that you are feeling better. Keep up the excellent work. I have always enjoyed reading your emails, and your delicate artwork is simply wonderful. It’s great to see such creativity.
I met you as I came across your post about leaving social media, which was interesting as I had done the same. However, I have since joined Instagram again. Although it was difficult to return to Instagram, I was happy to reconnect with many artists I know, and we support each other on this platform. I don’t visit social media every day, only when I feel like doing it. I don’t like how social media pressures us into doing things we don’t necessarily want to do. Still, I find it helpful to stay connected with other artists (though it can also be very superficial, too).
Anyway, I really enjoyed reading your last post, and I agree entirely with everything you said. This is why I don’t have much more to add to the discussion; you already said everything. :-) But I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your insights very much.
Hi Rhia, thank you so much! It’s so interesting to read about your Instagram experience, and it’s good to hear you’ve made it work in a way that feels good and useful to you. I’m really torn at times because I remember that aspect of connection and I enjoyed it, and sometimes I wonder how some of my fellow creatives are doing and all I can check is their IG or Tiktok.
Thanks for being here and taking the time to comment!
Hi Julia. I stumbled on your YT channel when I started watching artists there. Your video about quitting IG was my first introduction to you. I had become increasingly frustrated and discouraged with it and what you were saying were things I agreed with and still do. I went to your website also and loved your artwork, have since supported your Gumroad. Love those classes. What you teach is right up my alley. I’m an old school fuddy duddy, cringe at the word algorithm and really dislike ai. Seldom do I comment or interact, sort of uncomfortable there, but thought I’d tell you since you asked. Wish you well with your health, and life.
I’m happy you found my blog through Youtube and thank you for your ongoing support, Kathy! And a special thanks for sharing your comment! We old school fuddy duddies (lol) have to stick together. :-)
Hi Julia, I read your blog and WELL SAID. I totally agree. I found you many years ago when I retired from teaching school and wanted to learn to draw. I bought your early classes and learned how to draw and paint birds and butterflies from you. I have gone on to drawing animal portraits and wildlife with colored pencils. I also keep up with your You Tubes. I’m so glad you are back and look forward to what you have in store next.
Thank you so much Cindy, colored pencils are also a lovely technique!
Hi, I also found you on YouTube. I have also tried lots of different materials, styles etc but your clear thinking about simplicity and producing art that you like really struck home. I am now focusing on pen, ink and wash and it’s great. Thank you, take care and look after yourself.
THank you Malcolm, great you followed me here to the blog! Yes, ink + wash is so versatile and yet so expressive.
Hi Julia,
I found you on YouTube and I really appreciate your work and yours thougts in this article too.
Have a beautiful week.
Thank you so much Nella, it’s great you’re here. :)
Hi Julia,
I discovered your blog from your mastodon account. Either from browsing hash tags or accounts related to art, design, nature, or wildlife.
I am primarily a writer and drawing is an intermittent hobby. But I am fascinated by hints and tricks from any form of art: drawing, music, architecture. Sometimes I try them as described. But more often than not, I try to reinterpret them as they apply to writing and see what that does. Interesting happen!
And, of course, I just love to see and admire your drawings. So thank you so much for sharing your work and your experience.
Best,
Andrew
Andrew, thank you for your comment and great you’re here – I think you’re one of the few people who found here from Mastodon and not the other way round.
And I think one can use insights and ideas from every kind of art and let interesting things happen. And writing really connects everything.
Hi Julia! I also found you on YouTube. Later I took a number of your courses, which I throughly enjoy and refer back to often. I love your blog and am so very happy to hear that you are recovering! ❤️
Thank you dear Margret! :-)
Hi Julia!
I’m so glad you are on the mend! I completely agree with you that periodic evaluations are beneficial. Your post addresses so many ideas to be considered. If my memory serves (and it does fail more often than I would like), I found you through a Google search for nature journaling and/or sketchbook practice several years ago. I love being outside, live surrounded by nature, and always have a camera at hand. However, drawing and painting what I am photographing seems the logical and more soul satisfying next step. I am so glad that your name popped up in my search. I only use Pinterest to bookmark something I would like to refer back to, but don’t use Pinterest as a first search. I am trying to reduce my use of Instagram. I appreciate the artists and ideas that I see on Instagram, but almost all of the artists complain about the algorithm and I know that they are “creating content” with an eye on numbers. I’m not even sure some of these artists even enjoy this grind they are in. As for myself, the time spent on social media becomes time I can’t get back and time better spent practicing and enjoying my art practice. I can’t improve if I’m always scrolling, right?
And finally, you have written in the past about the overly enthusiastic collection of art supplies and now you are addressing g clutter. Guilty! have fallen in that trap. While I look forward to the day that I can streamline my supplies and reduce the bins, I’m too insecure and new at all of my painting and drawing to reduce. I’m hoping this will change as I develop preferences for brushes, pigments, paper, etc. I really do hope this is not something I am just telling myself… collecting is also a sign of procrastination and fear! Thank you for the great blog and all of the “realness”, kindness and support you bring to each post. You are appreciated! Stay well!
Thank you Elizabeth for sharing. Wonderful that you made the next step to drawing and painting. Interesting that you use Pinterest as a bookmark tool, I’ve never thought about it that way, but it makes sense since it also has a visual component.
I think if you’re an artist on Instagram you will automatically be sucked into thinking about numbers, it’s designed that way. I don’t believe anyone really likes this system, and I can understand that most are hesitant to quit – it can be a large part of one’s audience.
I think you’ve put it very well, the time you lose there is time you can’t spend with other activities.
And you know, enjoy the wealth of art materials you have, and try out and test all of them. Everyone is a bit different with these things, and there is no right way. If you find out at some point what tools you enjoy using, then that’s great, and if you’d rather collect and try out different tools a while longer, then that’s also great – if you’re not avoiding to make art through this. Thank you for reading my blog and all the best!
Hi Julia, i’m pretty sure I found you on someone else’s nature journaling blog and I was attracted to your landscapes and the look of your colors. It’s what I’d like my attempts to look like. I also appreciate your blog thoughts esp todays comments on instagram and fb. Thanks for being so articulate. What I’ve gained from your blog today is SIMPLIFYING. I’ve bought too much supplies and tried too many techniques that i’m overwhelmed and having a hard time getting started now. So I’m going to clean up my desk and put more away. I’ve only begun watercolors and keeping journals since covid. I get intimidated also by what artists have been doing since their early years and I started in my 70’s. I do think I enjoy nature journaling the best. Thank you, Judy
Thank you Judy, that’s a great way to summarize what I said in so many words: simplify.
Don’t be too intimidated by others, focus on what brings you enjoyment – the beauty of a nature journal is that it doesn’t have to be about the drawing skills, but about curiosity and joy of experiencing nature. :)
Hi Julia, so good to hear you are continuing well with your recovery. I found your site using Google to search for online drawing classes, and I chose you because your YouTube introduction was so well organised and designed to appeal to beginners. I also liked your calm and encouraging explanations. Mostly I really appreciated joining a live run through of the drawing class and the effort you put into the feedback and mentoring, which transformed the learning experience.
I, too, have been worrying about a surplus of art materials and I have recently donated a lot of kit to a local art group. I’ve also switched to reusable supplies like fountain pens and ink because I was throwing away so many single-use plastic fineliners.
This is a lovely and supportive artistic community, and I am very happy to be a part of it!
Hi Gill, thank you! I’m so happy to hear my videos are helpful for and appealing to beginner artists.
It’s a good feeling to declutter supplies when they go somewhere they are needed, isn’t it? I hope you like the kind of lines you can get out of your fountain pens.
Julia, I found you through the Journaling With Nature podcast (episode 14 for those who want to listen). I’m so glad you’re back, and look forward to your next class about cultivating and nurturing an art practice. Thank you for this blog post. It has given me a lot to reflect upon, but in a gentle way.
Thank you so much Shannon!
Hi Julia, so glad you’re home and healing! I think I found you through Skillshare?
So much of what you’ve written here reminds me of my own journey as an author, struggling to produce not only books but “content” for the web, and constant social media promotion. It burned me out, I pulled back from all of it, and actually ended up going back to a desk job and writing only when and what I want to. It isn’t as lucrative but I’m not only happier as a human, I’m happier with what I create.
As I’ve explored watercolors and sketching resources online, I find myself much more drawn to artists/teachers who focus less on quantity of content, and more on their philosophy of art and life, and why they create as they do. “Slow” art, if you will. Having a following definitely matters if you want to make a living at this, but more followers doesn’t always mean more followers who really value what you personally deliver. People who seek you out and stick around because what you do and say resonates aren’t going to disappear because you don’t post on a set schedule. We won’t even disappear because you have to take a break for several months for medical reasons. Well just be thrilled when you do come back!
Hi Kim, yes, it’s an ongoing struggle to balance those two poles, and I can totally understand your step going back to a desk job and taking the pressure out of your writing – which should be an enjoyable process. I’m glad to hear you’re happier now with yourself and with your writing.
I love the term slow art, it resonates a lot with me. You’ve perfectly summarized how I like to approach this whole thing. :)
Julia,
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I am a clutter junky and knowing that I don’t need a lot of tools to start helps me a lot, so I don’t go hog wild purchasing unnecessary items. I too have decluttered my life around social media I find it is completely unnecessary in my life.
I was interested in learning as a beginner how to draw and was very surprised how quickly I was able to draw a bird from just one video that you posted on YouTube. Oddly enough I can draw a decent bird, but my flowers and leaves look very wonky I guess this is where the practice comes in. I was impressed with your teaching style and how easy the YouTube video was to follow. For now, I plan to continue working on the techniques in the videos on YouTube.
Because of your video, I have the confidence that I can draw. I love crafts and sewing and drawing is another way to bring out my creative side. At 61 years old, I never would have dreamed that I could draw. I always felt like drawing was a specific skill and not everyone has that skill. Thanks to your teaching I know I can learn to draw.
Thank you so very much for sharing your talent and I look forward to taking one of your classes soon.
I’ll just adopt the term clutter junky for myself, haha!
I’m so happy to hear that bird drawing video helped you. Flowers and leaves have more movable parts, so they can often seem more complicated to render accurately. But yes, practice is always the best next step.
And yes, everyone can learn to draw, it’s just a manual skill. :) Glad you took the jump.
Julia,
Thank you for your insightful post. It resonated deeply with me. Now in my third week of retirement, I’ve started decluttering, a process of realignment. Letting go of unfinished projects is my biggest challenge. Somewhere I read recently that clutter is “deferred decisions”. Making those decisions to better align with “living a good life and making meaningful art”, as you put it, makes sense for me.
I found you through Google and specifically Bethan Burton’s Journaling with Nature podcast. https://www.journalingwithnature.com/podcasts/episode-14-julia-bausenhardt
Since then I have been fortunate to have taken several of your classes through Gumroad and have especially enjoyed and learned from receiving your personal feedback. You are a talented and generous teacher. I’ll look forward your next class!
Congrats on your retirement, Laura! I hope you can enjoy the time you have now and use it for yourself!
I know how hard it can be to let go of unfinished projects, behind each one stands the decision to let go. I’ve never heard of that comparison, but it makes a lot of sense, thank you for mentioning it.
Hello Julia! So glad to hear you are well on your way to recovery. Sometimes a set-back helps us to re-evaluate our goals as you seem to have done. Thank you for sharing your journey.
I’ve had to re-evaluate my goals also due to old age, being now age 82 with health issues and failing eyesight. I spent many years being a happy botanical artist, but my eyesight no longer allows me to deal with the small details of that—and that’s how I found you. I was looking for a new way to express my art and googled “Nature Journaling”. Usually I look at the illustrations first to see if anything appeals, and your charming drawings just stood out from the rest, which is how I came to search for your YouTubes.
At this point even nature journaling is becoming more difficult for me, although I’m not quite ready to give it up completely. But the day will come and so I’ve been looking for other ways to express my art. So far I haven’t found it except that I’ve been using larger sketchbooks, broader pens and larger brushes, and I’m grateful that all the fine detail that botanical art requires is no longer an issue as long as the general gist of the object is recognizable on paper.
Which leads me into art supply clutter. I’ve always felt a bit overwhelmed with too many art supplies and finally pared them down to a minimal amount by giving many of them away to a friend who is an art teacher. Now I’m finding that I’m buying new art supplies as I’m searching for a new way to do my art in larger formats that I can see more easily, and so the cycles go as we try to go with the flow of life. Once I find a new medium that I’m happy with I suppose I will have to select the keepers and the giving-awayers again. :-)
Personally since I tend to be a happy hermit I have never participated much on the internet. I tried Facebook for about a year, but the lack of decent manners by too many people bothered me and I gave it up. I also wasn’t sure about copyrights for art work on Facebook and didn’t want to get into that bottomless pit. I look at You Tube sometimes for subjects I find interesting, and even that can become overwhelming. I’m one of those people who doesn’t even like ATMs or talking on the phone because I like to see the people I’m in dealing with. For being a happy hermit that seems incongruous, but when I decide to be with people I tend to be “all in” with eye contact and reading of body language which the internet doesn’t allow for. Frankly, for people who like to spend their time creating I’m not even sure how so much time spent on various platforms can be beneficial. With 24 hours in a day for each of us the time spent on “content” and technical issues that come up has to cut into creative time, and one either has to have help from family members or friends, have more energy than I have, or step back and decide what is more important.
Thank you for your insights. Your comments are always very interesting and your art is some of the most charming I’ve ever seen anywhere. Keep on with your recovery, and we will enjoy your art as you have time and energy to share it.
Thank you for sharing this, RoseMarie! I think it’s amazing you still actively look for ways to continue to make art. And good to hear you’ve also decluttered your supplies to a manageable level while still adjusting and searching for the right tools that fit the larger format.
I can very much relate to the overwhelm that you feel when trying to find information on Youtube, and I too find direct contact with other people so much more direct and easier in a way. Thank you for taking the time to add to this conversation with so many invisible internet people. :-)
Hi Julia, I’d like to know more about your Pinterest experience if you feel like sharing. I think that I found you through the Journaling With Nature podcast!
Noted! Also, the JWN podcast is wonderful and it was a big honour for me to participate. :-)
Hi Julia. I too found you through google, I think I searched « painting birds in watercolor » or something similar.
Social media and other algorithm-driven platforms really aren’t appealing once you learn more about them. But how does an artist promote themself these days? It’s all marketing gurus swear by. It’s a bit disheartening. Maybe it’s bad to think about turning art – a hobby – into a side hustle (I’m a graphic designer).
Anyway, I enjoy reading your blog a lot. It’s very inspiring. And I appreciate being able to watch your video directly on your blog.
Hi Aline, glad to hear that Google still does its work sometimes. I know that marketing people don’t have any other answers for us, they’re helplessly offering what used to (somewhat) work a few years ago, and what still somewhat works for established accounts. I think there’s not a one type fits all answer, for me I think Google and Youtube (both algorithm-driven too) and a ton of sharing my art and writing and seeing what sticks have seemed to work. I think I’ll write a post about that if there’s interest.
I also have thoughts about turning a well-loved hobby into a side hustle, very often it kills the joy completely. I’ve had moments where I would have given an arm for a low-friction graphic design job instead of having to think about marketing and staying authentic and still earning income from this thing that I love.
An instructor at the Missouri Botanical Gardens highly recommended you as an online instructor and for your you-tube videos. Thanks for those, they are so informative and free! I appreciate your thoughtful reflections on art habits and foibles….like I too collect interesting art supplies to put away for later.
So glad you shared and best of luck regaining your health.
Thank you Donna, that is so interesting! And yes, one big motivation of mine is to keep all parts of this blog and of course the Youtube videos free of charge.
A friend sent me a link to your blog many years ago, and while links from other artists come and go, yours stays. First — it’s very peaceful. I need that in my life. Also, I love the botanical aspect of your blog. I am way, way into de-cluttering and your comments about that today caught my attention. I realized that’s one of the reasons I like your blog. You aren’t constantly trying new things or suggesting a new technique. Thank you for being a peaceful part of my life. I hope your recovery continues to move forward.
What a lovely friend you have, Julie! And thatnk you so much for your kind words!
I found you through Sketchbook Revival, enjoyed your class there and followed up by getting on your newsletter list. I prefer blogs to the less searchable & less full of info posts on FB and Instagram and have maintained my own blog since about 2006. Even though readership has dropped off over the years, I still maintain it for myself, a place to record my journey and suss out my thoughts about things. And if others benefit from it, great. You might be happy to know that at least one artist has determined that the algorithms for Instagram no longer work for artists trying to promote their work. You were prescient! You can read his analysis here if you are interested. https://www.danielsroka.com/blog/promoting-art-on-instagram-is-a-question-of-fit/
I do think you are on the right track. I myself have had to take that stop and reassess thing the last few years, admit that a lot of what I was doing was out of habit, not desire, following “advice” that never worked for me but I felt obligated to follow anyway. Keep being your lovely self and find that road that fits you best.
Yes I remember that beautiful event with Bethan. I agree about the bad usability on social media, it’s like the companies have made us forget that we used to already have pretty good ways to structure information on the web. I’m glad to hear you’re still an active blogger, too!
I’ve heard that there’s a new movement among artists to quit their social media (it was on Cal Newport’s podcast), I guess it’s still working for bigger accounts, but I can’t imagine catering to all the shorts/video reels hype that’s going on there right now. I think it’s vital to stop and think from time to time if new habits and adivce work for you or not. Thank you for sharing this Sheila!
Hi Julia,
I found you thru google. I was looking for how to draw courses and your name and information about your course came up very high on the search.
I am doing the sketching course and appreciate your method of teaching and demonstrating. I also appreciate the small amount of art supplies that are needed including your mentioning that it was OK to use printer paper for practicing the lessons.
Your blog is very thoughtful.
Thank you.
Mary
Good to hear that Google still works somewhat, thanks for sharing Mary! I’m glad you’re enjoying the course. And absolutely, use inexpensive materials for those practice sessions!
Hi Julia, I found your blog and work through the International Nature Journaling Week, organised by Bethan Burton. It’s super helpful to me to discover artists who communicate through the web, minus all the hype and marketing packaging. I have had long years of restrictions due to serious illness, so guarding my available energy is essential for well-being and Art making. I use Pinterest as I find it inspiring, but I don’t run a business through it. I would be interested in your experience. Your comments on decluttering are important too, as creativity & curiosity seem to twin, and yes, one can end up with too much…. Illness is certainly a challenge, but for me, it has refined my priorities and put me in a life where “less is more” – more contentment & less stress. All good wishes to you, Mairim.
Oh, Bethan’s INJW was super fun, I enjoyed it very much! I can definitely relate to only having a minimal amount of energy available, and I agree that an illness can help to change priorities and focus. Thanks for sharing this.
I first saw you on the Sketchbook revival course many years ago. I really enjoy your down to earth views on the effects ( good and bad) on social media and they have really encouraged me to back off from much of it. My problem is that I have to get up really early each morning ( about 5.0 am ) with my aging dog and so I tend to sit around in a bit of a daze scrolling through it when I really want to do some drawing! You have recently encouraged me to do this and I really thank you for it.
I remember that lovely event! And I hope you can enjoy your sleepy morning time with your dog and a sketchbook. :-)
Hi Julia! Relatively recent follower, first time commenting. I know health scares, not being able to work, and long, slow recovery periods too well, so I’m glad you took your time and are recovering well! I found your blog through a YouTube video about quitting social media, and guess who finally pulled the plug on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook this year? After the initial anxiety, it’s been years since I’ve felt this good about my art practice. Though… I still keep Pinterest ahah Would be very interested in learning about your experience, if that’s something you’d like to share!
Funny enough… after deleting the biggest “content creation” time drains, I also looked at all my art supplies and decided to finally start selling the excess. I wonder if there’s something about the social media art sphere that makes us more subject to impulse buying? Maybe there’s no causality. Experimenting is always great, and some of these I’ve had since college, but only now I’ve felt like it’s time to let go.
Apologies for the huge comment, but love reading your posts – they always make me feel a bit less like the only crazy person in the world who doesn’t want to be chronically online. Glad to know there’s more of us choosing to declutter!
All the best, and hope to hear from you again, soon, or late, or whenever time and health allow.
Thank you Ana for sharing this. Maybe social media and impulse buying of art stuff is connected, maybe it’s just the repeated exposure to what other artists use. I also get this when I read blogs. ;-) But I agree it’s good to be able to let go of things you don’t use.
And I would love to be chronically offline, if that’s a thing!
Hello Julia,
I found your blog after watching one of your Youtube videos. Everything you said is so much like how I feel about my art journey. For me it is a hobby and I don’t teach or sell my art. I too get overwhelmed by art decision as to which medium I want to do at the start of my day. I can’t buy too many different art supplies because I get overwhelmed. I stick with about 15 Daniel Smith watercolors and about the same in Winsor and Newton. I have one brand of professional gouche that can fit into two pans. I have pastels as well. I think a good while before I buy anything. I’ve tried to understand why some items are so popular, but when I really think about it I know it is just not something I will use. I bought one Caran D’Ache Neocolor 2 to see what the hype was about but decided it wasn’t for me since I love the traditional watercolors. Glad I didn’t buy an entire set. I love watching Youtube videos about art and art hauls, but I try not to get sucked in. I turn it off and go make art for awhile. I don’t have FB or Instagram. I am glad to hear your thoughts on this making content for these platforms. Sounds like you are really self aware and put a lot of thought into this. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.
Lisa
Thank you Lisa, I can totally relate. And haha, I think I have a box of CdA Neocolor somewhere in my drawers (I think they were a gift, but still..).
I really admire the kind of artists who don’t care about brands and specific paints and all that, and just make art. I have a feeling that once one is introduced to Youtube swatching videos and art hauls, that pristine state of mind is gone. 15 years ago I just got whatever they offered in my local art store. These days I do a lot more research because of quality and lightfastness…yes these things are important, but they can also hinder you from actually creating. And brands offer so many useless novelty items and special palettes these days.
Your setup sounds really practical and neat!
Hi Julia, every time you blog I think that it’s the one sane-feeling place on the internet. I struggle with overwhelm like you and many others, and it is such a comfort to find an artist who doesn’t ride the algorithm wave. I found you on youtube at a time when I was looking for sketchbook inspiration and I love your style. The one thing I am learning and accepting is that my art practice will always be evolving because everything is always changing. I have had some health troubles too recently, it’s been a hard year(s) and it’s infinitely comforting to know we are all just out here trying to figure it out. I wish you the best in your continued recovery and I look forward to your next update, whenever that may be!
Thank you Katherine, that means so much to me!
And I wish you all the best for your recovery too – I hope this year will be better for you!
Hi Julia,
I no longer know where or how I found you. I know it wasn’t Youtube or Instagram. Regardless, I enjoy your peaceful and informative newsletters. Your struggles with social media, the world/news, simplifying things all resonate with me and often help me to identify what I’ve been struggling with. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. And of course I love your art. Take care.
Thank you so much Jaci! <3
Dear Julia, This was a wonderful post and everything in it resonated with me and where I am right now. I have been online since 2001 teaching and blogging even before there was software for doing it. I think Social Media has pretty much destroyed the easy communication between artists and with fans and followers that used to exist.
I found you because we are both Skillshare Teachers and I loved your classes.
I would love to hear about your experience with Pinterest, because I too have heard the hype about Pinterest being the best source for new followers, but as I look at it, it seems success must come from the same back breaking content creation as the rest.
I love blogs and have moved mine to Substack just because the posting and notifying readers process is so much easier than Flowdesk or any of the other things I have tried. I consider my Substack primarily a blog that I can add news to if there is any.
Thank you Jessica! Wow, you’ve been blogging for quite some time then! I agree that communication has been changed into scrolling and liking, so it’s become much harder to form an individual relationship with followers. I like that direct contact much more.
I will write that post about Pinterest. I grew tired of it pretty quickly, if I had been organized better or had an assistant maybe it would work. But I lack the motivation to feed my art into another silo and go through the process of creating pretty graphics for it. I don’t really see the purpose of creating multiple graphics of one post just because the Pinterest algorithm favors that, it seems like a design mistake. At least Google gobbles up my stuff automatically. ;-)
Hallo Julia,
ich habe dich letztes Jahr über Youtube gefunden, als ich mit Nature Journaling angefangen habe. Zur gleichen Zeit habe ich meinen Instagram Account gelöscht aus verschiedenen Gründen (und nie bereut!). Deine Videos zum Thema Social Media fand ich super spannend und auch diesen Post. Ich weiß es sehr zu schätzen, dass du noch einen Blog schreibst. Denn die längeren Beiträge von Blogs (oder auch YouTube Videos) sind meistens so viel informativer und geben komplexen Themen viel besser Raum und strengen mein Gehirn viel weniger an.
Dieses Jahr habe ich das Buch „Digitaler Minimalismus“ von Cal Newport gelesen, dass mich noch mal sehr auf meinem Weg bestärkt hat. Zum Nachdenken hat mich vor allem seine Definition von „Solitude Deprivation“ gebracht, unter der wir heutzutage oft leiden. Wie es im englischen Original heißt: „A state in which you spend close to zero time alone with your own thoughts and free from input from other minds.“ Seitdem versuche ich sehr bewusst darauf zu achten, wie viele Informationen und auch Inspirationen ich konsumiere.
Cal Newport hat auch einen interessanten englischsprachigen Podcast und hat dort neulich etwas über Künstler und Soziale Medien gesagt und auch warum man seiner Meinung nach sehr gut ohne auskommt. Folge 295, in den Shownotes findet man sehr gute Zeitangaben, so dass man nicht den ganzen Podcast hören muss, wenn einen nicht alles interessiert.
Ich glaube fest daran, dass man auch in der heutigen Zeit ohne Soziale Medien und den ganzen Druck auskommt und wünsche dir sehr, dass du einen für dich passenden Weg findest!
Herzliche Grüße aus Süddeutschland!
Katharina
Danke Katharina dass du deine Erfahrungen geteilt hast. :) Mir geben längere Beiträgen auch viel mehr, vielleicht auch, weil man viel weniger thematisch rumspringt. Fand das auch sehr interessant in den Büchern von Newport. Die Podcastfolge habe ich die Tage auch gehört.
This is a topic I find fascinating, so thanks for sharing. There’s much to be said for simplicity, focus, prioritizing, and letting go, all of which can be easily forgotten as viable, liberating options.
I would be curious to know more about your Pinterest experience. Full disclosure, I’ve not used it.
I think I found you on youtube looking for nature sketching. I don’t follow a lot on Instagram and sometimes the people I do like just post way too much! And then I unfollow. But I sympathise with the pressure they must be feeling.
I did your basic sketching class this winter and found it very useful. I am one of those lifelong poor drawers who decided I wanted to draw like an unskilled adult sketcher rather than an unskilled 10 year old. I became fond of heads of garlic because they always came out looking like heads of garlic. I even did some cooperative small birds after thinking egrets were the only option because they stay still.
A small quibble, supposedly the course was pay what you like but it wouldn’t accept less than the full amount. But it was worth it. Best wishes for your continued improving health.
I found you the old-fashioned way, word of mouth. A friend sent me a link to your site.
I’m a hobbyist, started a few years ago, and have enjoyed dabbling in different forums, mediums, etc., to see what resonates with me. I’ve had good (& bad) in-person classes, and have tried several online platforms: Etchr, Domestika, Sketchy, Skillshare, etc. In any case, it’s the teacher who matters most. Online classes are so convenient, it’s hard to beat that. As for social media, I want to spend more time drawing & painting, less time scrolling. I’m not interested in para-social relationships, though I do enjoy a live session from time to time. I appreciate your direct approach and get a lot from your classes.
I found your blog when I was searching online for sketchbook examples for a children’s education workshop. I started reading one of your posts and I found myself feeling a connection with your writing, both what you were saying and your writing style. I realised how much I had missed the deeper sense of connection the outer world I got that came with thoughtful, long form blog posts. I always used to love reading blog posts that people had given time and heart into writing, where they were really trying to communicate something they felt worth sharing or discussing. At one time I was a blogger and used to write posts like that, too. I read your posts about giving up social media and found them interesting, and I feel so cheered at the thought that someone is out there thriving at their art business without Instagram and Facebook.
A thoughtful post, as always. I’m glad to hear you’re on the mend. And I would love to full story about my Pinterest experiment and why you think those types of platforms are dead for artists.