Artist burnout is real and when it happens, you’re tired, overwhelmed, and you consider quitting your career as an artist. Instead of being a fun hobby, it turns into work. Your schedule revolves around your artistic life, and you dedicate almost all your time to it. I experienced burnout after four non-stop years of working with clay. If I wasn’t at my desk making charms, I was turning those charms into jewelry. If I wasn’t making jewelry, I was at a craft show. The cycle never ended. I was so tired of the same schedule that I took a two-year hiatus.
I started working with clay again after pursuing other creative hobbies, working a full and part time job, and taking college classes. I needed time to catch my breath. After taking that time, I found joy in creating with clay again and looking forward to starting new projects.
Here’s a quick list of what you can do to avoid or reduce burnout!
- It’s okay to take a deep breath and walk away.
- Take time to be outside.
- Take a break from social media or use social media as a tool to follow artistic trends.
- Limit your time spent at your craft table.
- Don’t compare yourself to other artists.
When you’re burnt out, it’s okay to walk away! I had lot of anxiety and worry over quitting and walking away from my craft table. I was attending craft shows, posting frequently on social media, and running an online store front. It was exhausting. Instead of stopping, I kept pushing myself to work with clay until it became a chore. My clay work wasn’t improving, and I was unhappy with everything I made. My back ached from being hunched over a table, and my hands were sore from mixing colors and conditioning clay. I made the decision to walk away before Christmas time.
Losing motivation and inspiration happens. I found that taking a break and being outside helped me the most! Even for just an hour. Instead of sitting in a stuffy room hunched over my desk working on an intricate miniature, I enjoyed taking a walk in the fresh air and sunshine. In the wintertime it’s a little harder, but I tried my best to stay physically moving and spending time outside as much as possible. Seize the day!
I highly recommend taking a break from social media. You lose motivation with hours of scrolling and comparing yourself to others. I used social media as an excuse to not work on anything and I wasted my time. If you decide to not take a break from social media, follow art trends! At first it might seem like a bad idea, but it pulled me out of my comfort zone. I learned new techniques and it was fun to try something different. Trends give you a chance to keep your creativity flowing and learning new things.
Don’t dedicate every minute to your hobby. Take breaks when you need them. Clear your creative schedule to pursue other activities and hobbies. I dedicated most of my time to realistic clay food and I recently found that I like making miniature guitars. I dove into the world of music and looked up different styles of guitars. I was able to expand outside food and strengthen my skills in painting and sculpting.
Every artist probably hears this daily, but it’s true; Comparing yourself to others is a big no-no. It wears you down and you lose confidence. All artists are at different levels. Some artists may have only been working on clay for months and already have amazing work. For others, it takes years to accomplish beautiful almost flawless clay work. However, behind the scenes the artist might be comparing their work to other artists and struggle to be proud of their work. Comparison is a dream killer, instead look up to artists as an inspiration. If they have tutorials or classes, follow them but don’t copy! Everyone’s style is different, so be you and unique. It takes years, not minutes to excel in any field of art. Especially clay. It takes practice, learning, and a lot of patience.
Sculpey Design Squad Member Emma Waddel (Bluebird Miniatures)
