"Re Art Lover: As a painter myself, I go through periods where I paint daily for months, then nothing for years. What happened may have dried the well, so to speak, but insisting he just turn it back on won't work (we wish!). If you want to help now, encourage him to join a community class. Maybe a painting one, but just one in general would help just as much."
"He needs his confidence built back up more than anything. And I will caution you against trying to make what is an enjoyable hobby for him into some money/community thing unless he is the one saying he wants to do this. So many people have stolen the joy of painting for me by requesting free pieces, insisting I keep going when I'm exhausted, signing me up to teach others how to paint, and just generally not understanding I'm a person, not a machine."
Artists often cycle between intense productivity and long periods of not creating. Creative droughts can exhaust the well of ideas, and coercing someone to resume creating usually backfires. Community classes can restore routine and confidence without pressure, and even non-painting classes may help. Rebuilding artistic confidence is more important than monetizing a hobby. Turning a personal pastime into paid work or communal obligations can steal joy and make creativity feel like a prison. Requests for free work, demands to continue producing, and unsolicited teaching obligations erode enthusiasm and treat artists like machines rather than people.
Read at Slate Magazine
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