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Why Everyone is Actually Artistic
I used to tell people, “Oh, I’m not artistic , I’m practical. ” What a joke. I was basically saying, “I’m not human, I’m a robot. ” We’ve commodified creativity to the point where if you can’t sell it on Etsy or get 1,000 likes on Instagram, it doesn’t count. But that’s not how the human brain works. According to a 2024 study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology , engaging in any creative activity for just 45 minutes significantly lowers cortisol levels, regardless of skill level. The problem is we’ve confused “talent” with “artistry. ” Talent is a skill set you develop; being artistic is a state of being. Last November, I was sitting at a coffee shop on Ocean Avenue—the one with the overpriced $9 oat milk lattes—and I saw a woman sketching the people walking by. She wasn’t good. Like, truly, the proportions were all wrong. But she looked more alive than anyone else in that room. She wasn’t chasing a “Grammy” or a gallery show. She was just. being. I realized then that com/. p=1938″ rel=”noopener noreferrer”>The Artist of the Year Grammy Trap is real—we stop creating because we’re afraid we aren’t the “best. ” The “Skill” vs. “Expression” Divide Feature Most of us quit being artistic in the third grade because some teacher told us our trees didn’t look like trees. that said,, who cares. The goal of an artistic life isn’t accuracy; it’s honesty. If you’re stressed, your trees should look like jagged, angry scribbles. That’s the point. 💡 Pro Tip Stop trying to make “good” art. Aim to make “honest” art. If it looks ugly but feels like a relief to create, you’ve won. How Being Artistic Actually Healed My $15,000 BurnoutI don’t use the number $15,000 lightly. That’s roughly what I spent on physical therapy, “wellness” retreats, and specialists trying to fix a chronic back pain that was actually just repressed stress from a job I hated. I was a “corporate burnout” in every sense of the word. It wasn’t until I picked up a camera that things started to shift. I started taking I remember one specific Tuesday—February 11th, 2025—where the pain in my neck was so bad I could barely turn my head. I went to the Michaels on Wilshire Blvd and spent exactly $27.42 on a cheap set of acrylics and two small canvases. I didn’t know what I was doing. I just went home to my tiny apartment, put some old newspapers on the floor, and started slapping blue paint onto the white surface. I felt like an idiot. My neighbor Karen even knocked on the door to ask if I was “renovating” because of the smell. But after an hour, the tension in my jaw—tension I’d held for three years—just vanished. The Science of Creative Flow |
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Do not turn your new hobby into a side hustle. The moment you try to monetize your artistic outlet | |
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The Commodity Trap |
When “Artistic” Becomes a Brand
We need to talk about the “Frida Kahlo-ization” of art. I recently read a piece in The Conversation Africa (February 2026) about how the Tate Modern is serving up Kahlo from “canvas to cuisine. ” It’s frustrating. We take these deeply tortured, artistic souls and turn them into kitchen magnets and $200 immersive experiences. This “flattening” of art makes us feel like being artistic requires a specific aesthetic—a flower crown, a dramatic backstory, or a recognizable “brand. “ Actually, this is why I stopped mindless donating to big “artsy” charities. I wrote about this in my nourishedlivingtoday. com/2026/02/10/why-i-stopped-mindless-donating-my-2026-guide-to-artists-for-aid/” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>2026 guide to artists for aid because I realized most of that money goes to branding and not to helping people actually create. 3 Artistic Practices That Don’t Require a Master’s DegreeIf you’re sitting there thinking, “Emma, I still can’t draw a stick figure,” then listen up. Being artistic doesn’t have to involve a brush. Some of the most creative people I know don’t own a single tube of paint. Look at the “artistic cyclists” like Viola Brand—they use a bike as their medium. Or the Chinese artistic swimming team that just won gold; they use their bodies. Your medium is whatever allows you to lose track of time. //www.nourishedlivingtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/artistic_14.webp” alt=”artistic – relevant illustration” />
| 1. Found-Object AssemblageThis sounds fancy, but it’s basically just “playing with junk. ” Last month, I found a bunch of sea glass and weird-shaped driftwood at Santa Monica State Beach. I spent an afternoon gluing them together into a weird tower. Cost. $0.00. Skill level. Toddler. Satisfaction. 10/10. It’s about the process of looking for beauty in things others throw away. 2. The “Bad” Morning PagesI’m a huge fan of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way , but I think people take it too seriously. I do “Bad Morning Pages. ” I set a timer for 10 minutes and write the most nonsensical, artistic , and often angry gibberish I can think of. I don’t use a fancy journal. I use a 99-cent spiral notebook from CVS. It clears the “mental lint” before I start my day as a nutritionist. 3. Sensory CookingAs a nutritionist, I see people treat food like fuel or “the enemy. ” Try treating it as an artistic medium. Forget the recipe. Buy one ingredient you’ve never used—like a dragon fruit or black garlic ($4.50 at the local co-op)—and just see what happens when you mix it with something else. It might taste like dirt, but you’re exercising your creative muscles. 💡 Pro Tip If you’re stuck, go to a hardware store. Seriously. The paint swatches are free, and there’s something incredibly artistic about arranging colors just because they look nice together. Key Takeaways
Why You Should Stop Chasing “Artistic” Perfection in 2026We are living in the age of AI. By the time you read this in mid-2026, AI will be able to generate “perfect” art in seconds. So why bother. Because AI doesn’t have soul. It doesn’t have that “embarrassing story” from a I used to be so ashamed of the fact that I couldn’t draw a straight line. Now, I realize that my shaky hand is my signature. It’s a record of my humanity. When I was struggling with chronic pain, my art was messy because my life was messy. And that’s okay. The Cost of Modern CreativityDon’t let the price of “artistic” living stop you. You don’t need a $2,000-a-month studio in the Arts District. You need a corner of your kitchen table and the permission to be bad at something. I’ve seen people spend thousands on “creative coaching” when they really just needed to buy a $5 pack of clay and smash it around for an hour. Conclusion Look, I’m not saying you need to quit your job and move to a commune. I’m saying that you are dying a little bit every day that you ignore your artistic side. Whether you find your voice through It’s for the burned-out. It’s for the person who feels like they’re just a cog in a machine. Take your artistic license back. It’s been in your pocket this whole time, just waiting for you to use it. Or don’t. Keep scrolling and wondering why you feel so numb. Take it or leave it. I’m going to bed. ✅ Key Takeaways
Absolutely not. In fact, I think expensive supplies often create a “pressure to perform” that kills creativity. I started my healing journey with a $27.42 haul from Michaels, and honestly, some of my favorite “art” was made with a stolen Sharpie and a cardboard box. Start with what you have.
For me, the initial “release” happened in about 45 minutes—which matches the 2024 studies on cortisol. However, the long-term mental clarity took about three weeks of consistent “messing around” (maybe twice a week). It’s not a magic pill; it’s a practice.
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