The few times I mention on Instagram that I am chronically ill and too sick for any kind of normal job, I get a few messages from other chronically ill people. They are amazed that I am able to make this much work. They say I inspire them. This is the biggest compliment any creator can get I think. And it has also made me think more about how I make art, and the decisions I make. Thinking about it I realise that I have made a LOT of decisions just to make art work for me. Art is so important to me on many levels, and I guess I have just adapted. So I wanted to share some of the things I do.
I work small. I do this for several reasons. I love small art. Smaller artwork requires less physical energy. If I need to use a brush over a big area, I lose strength and energy very fast. Smaller artwork can also fit into any kind of work area, based on how I feel on any given day! It takes less time, so I feel a sense of accomplishment that is helpful to keep going. It requires less materials, which is nice when you live on disability and dont have much money.
I work with watercolors. I really love watercolors, but it is also very illness friendly. It requires very little prep time and cleaning, so I dont have to spend much energy to get started. I can bring them with me to the sofa or anywhere I need to be. If I need to take a break, I can just let the paints dry and they will still be ready for me when I get back. I also love to use pens, colored pencils and gouache, for the same reasons!
I bought a lap desk with a cushion! This is the best thing I have gotten in a long time. I can now curl up in the sofa very comfortably and have a good work space. I also have a small table next to the sofa for my water and paints. This has changed so much for me. I work more, I sketch more, and all on my terms. And who doesn’t like to be comfortable? I bought mine on IKEA, so it is very affordable too!
I stopped being so hard on myself and compare myself to others. I constantly hear "you need to work hard every day to improve" as advice. And yes, this is true, but hard work is very relative. What is a quick sketch break for someone might be exhausting for me on a bad day. So I follow my own pace, and if I dont do work for a while, that is ok! My health comes first. If my health declines even more, I may not even be able to make any art.
Im ok with mess. I can be very messy, and if I were to keep things tidy all the time, I wouldn’t have energy for art at all.
This is real life!
I am grateful. I know so many people who are too sick to even draw in the sofa. And I know that I might end up there too. So I work hard on being as grateful as possible for the things I am actually able to do.
I never take on too much. It can be tempting to say yes to everything, but I know that I will get really stressed and get sicker if I take on too much. So I only say yes to a few things and keep my commitments minimal to make it manageable.
And probably the most important thing to get work done:
I take everything one step at a time. In the periods where art is almost impossible, I break everything down into super small tasks, and I do one task a day. For one painting it might go like this: make a sketch - scan the sketch - resize and print the sketch - transfer sketch to paper - make initial washes with watercolor - then continue painting when I have the energy. It might take up to two weeks to finish something that only takes 6 hours, but I DID finish it!
Please keep in mind that this is how I make it work for me, you need to find what works the best for you!
I hope this is helpful for some of you reading. I think a lot of this can apply to other things in life as well! I also hope this might give more people insight into how life can be for chronically ill people. I hope I am able to create art forever! And I am forever grateful to those who are patient with me when they are waiting for art from me.
-Ellen