This is very insightful and motivational! My latest such hobbies include enjoying the Merlin app - and immersing myself in the aesthetic of Field Notes and Travelers's Notebooks. And reading fiction by the likes of Louise Penny and Lissa Evans.
I don't, really, but I have a thing for the founding subscriber tier where I'll paint a photo, send the painting to that person, and share it as a tutorial. Also, sometimes I just randomly put that offer out to all my regular paid subscribers. But those are quite small and somewhat "only if I feel like it".
So lovely, rings so true for me. It really hit me “what you love is what your mind returns to when it wanders.” For me it really often is an art project.
As a not so successful meditator, I related to this whole heartedly. Drawing, painting, writing, cooking, and reading enriching Substacks like yours are what do it for me.
Yeah I try to remind myself that all meditation is successful, it's just that sometimes the mind is busier and sometimes it is more quiet. But I know what you mean!
Check out the free app RaptorID - great help in identifying hawks abd owls! Birding (by car if it’s really cold), watercolors, reading about nature, and a William Mortis needlepoint pillow kit from Ukraine are keeping me sane.
This really works to distract the mind from worries. Harder to do at night when you're trying to get to sleep and can't draw, knit, walk, etc. but at least it brings peace to portions of the day. Love the nighttime water-reflection painting.
I know I have a good obsession going when I wake up at 3 AM with thoughts of, say, how to create the perfect easel setup for landscape painting. For me, it's all about finding that thing that I naturally tend to think about even when I'm not doing it. Our minds want to wander, we just have to give them more interesting places to wander to.
There are so many hobbies though! I've also thought about taking up kayaking, but I don't live close to many bodies of waters so I fear it will just collect dust. However, your paintings make me want to start watercoloring. They are gorgeous! What would you suggest buying first? I know there are several watercoloring travel kits out there.
I got a new sewing machine for Christmas. It is taking me some time to get used to the electronics, but I did manage to make my granddaughter a new blanket for her birthday and several blankets for her imaginary cats, though the stuffies are making good use of them. Now, I’m putting a lot of thought into what to make next. You might say I’m obsessing about it. I’m still a sewing beginner in many ways and need to keep from getting ahead of myself. In the meantime, I’ll meditate on the new drapes I’m going to make. Thanks for the inspirational column!
I didn't know who you were when I sent that heart your way, seeing your sketchbook post. Then I went further down in your notes/posts and felt I need to see more of this, so I subscribed. Then I read your about section.. Congratulations, you are a true artist, a very accomplished one at that! And now, having read and seen your post about needing a hobby, you reminded me of my wonderful Art teacher back in elementary school at home. Thank you for your kind patience and warmhearted suggestions as to how to divert our thoughts from all the things unhealthy. I am really happy that I came across your posts! Thank you!
Isn’t the ABA podcast just fantastic? Have you listened to BirdNote too? They’re super short (usually just a few minutes) and full of birdsong and interesting bird facts.
This is very insightful and motivational! My latest such hobbies include enjoying the Merlin app - and immersing myself in the aesthetic of Field Notes and Travelers's Notebooks. And reading fiction by the likes of Louise Penny and Lissa Evans.
Love it!
Your work is just stunning, Amy! Your travel/landscape paintings are simply gorgeous and make me happy. 🙂 Lovely post!
Thanks so much! Hoping to do a lot more landscape painting this year.
Forgive me if you’ve mentioned this elsewhere, but do you do commissioned work? Thinking about some of my beloved northern Michigan landscapes … :)
I don't, really, but I have a thing for the founding subscriber tier where I'll paint a photo, send the painting to that person, and share it as a tutorial. Also, sometimes I just randomly put that offer out to all my regular paid subscribers. But those are quite small and somewhat "only if I feel like it".
I started learning Italian at the start of the pandemic and haven’t stopped. My library offers the Mango language learning app for free.
Yes! Learning a language is great because you can just be thinking about it in the background, no matter what you're doing.
So lovely, rings so true for me. It really hit me “what you love is what your mind returns to when it wanders.” For me it really often is an art project.
I love the deep color-saturation of your watercolors, Amy. They vibrate!
Thanks! In fairness I think these are all gouache or acrylic ink, which tend to be a lot more saturated right off the bat. Makes it easy!
As a not so successful meditator, I related to this whole heartedly. Drawing, painting, writing, cooking, and reading enriching Substacks like yours are what do it for me.
Yeah I try to remind myself that all meditation is successful, it's just that sometimes the mind is busier and sometimes it is more quiet. But I know what you mean!
Check out the free app RaptorID - great help in identifying hawks abd owls! Birding (by car if it’s really cold), watercolors, reading about nature, and a William Mortis needlepoint pillow kit from Ukraine are keeping me sane.
Oh I didn't know about RaptorID!
This really works to distract the mind from worries. Harder to do at night when you're trying to get to sleep and can't draw, knit, walk, etc. but at least it brings peace to portions of the day. Love the nighttime water-reflection painting.
I know I have a good obsession going when I wake up at 3 AM with thoughts of, say, how to create the perfect easel setup for landscape painting. For me, it's all about finding that thing that I naturally tend to think about even when I'm not doing it. Our minds want to wander, we just have to give them more interesting places to wander to.
I love your newsletter, Amy, and been talking up with family members taking up painting. Thank you. — Bob
Hey thanks Bob! That means a lot coming from you!
There are so many hobbies though! I've also thought about taking up kayaking, but I don't live close to many bodies of waters so I fear it will just collect dust. However, your paintings make me want to start watercoloring. They are gorgeous! What would you suggest buying first? I know there are several watercoloring travel kits out there.
I got a new sewing machine for Christmas. It is taking me some time to get used to the electronics, but I did manage to make my granddaughter a new blanket for her birthday and several blankets for her imaginary cats, though the stuffies are making good use of them. Now, I’m putting a lot of thought into what to make next. You might say I’m obsessing about it. I’m still a sewing beginner in many ways and need to keep from getting ahead of myself. In the meantime, I’ll meditate on the new drapes I’m going to make. Thanks for the inspirational column!
hey Amy..love your posts and content..wondering where u took lessons online..I've taken a million classes, but always looking for more...thanks!
Amy,
I didn't know who you were when I sent that heart your way, seeing your sketchbook post. Then I went further down in your notes/posts and felt I need to see more of this, so I subscribed. Then I read your about section.. Congratulations, you are a true artist, a very accomplished one at that! And now, having read and seen your post about needing a hobby, you reminded me of my wonderful Art teacher back in elementary school at home. Thank you for your kind patience and warmhearted suggestions as to how to divert our thoughts from all the things unhealthy. I am really happy that I came across your posts! Thank you!
Isn’t the ABA podcast just fantastic? Have you listened to BirdNote too? They’re super short (usually just a few minutes) and full of birdsong and interesting bird facts.
I have been practicing neuro graphic art....free flowing lines and rounding junctions of lines.
I love everything about this, from meditation to birds to our big dumb brains. So well written and delightful. Thanks.