Hey friends!
Are you tired right now? I’m tired. I’m one cup of coffee into my morning and just yawned while writing this email. But don’t feel sorry for me. I did it to myself. I stayed up too late reading a book about the history of maps (seriously - it’s a page turner). I love maps and books about maps.
And now I am called upon to be creative while tired.
This is a common obstacle for artists that can stop us from making anything at all. But there’s something you should know: tired art is better than no art. Successful creators are quietly building their daily practice by showing up when showing up feels impossible or when they would rather climb back into bed and read more about maps.
Here’s my secret: It's not about inspiration. It's about infrastructure.
I keep a cozy creative space ready to go. I set it up like a professional sets up an office and channel that same discipline into my art practice. Clean brush. Fresh water. Pre-mixed palette. If you're a morning person like me, set out everything the night before. Night owl? Same deal – prep in the morning for your evening session. The resistance melts when the tools are ready. And you don’t have to think about
Here's another secret: Your inner critic is sleepy too.
That's your advantage. When you're too tired to overthink, you might just create your most honest work. And sometimes those sleepy sketches turn out to be the most authentic and loose – there's something magical about creating when your inner critic is too tired to pipe up!
And remember, tired art is still art.
Those wonky lines and imperfect colors? They're part of your story. Perfect isn't the goal. Making is. So the best time to make art isn't when you're ready. It's right now. Rise and shine friend!
Love, Jess