An art journal can hold painting, drawing, collage, writing, mixed media...or all of them at once, on the same page. Some people fill theirs with words and a little color. Others never write a single word. There are no rules about what goes in, which is exactly why it is the easiest way back into making art after a long time away.

Every December, someone who loves an artist, or really any creative person, goes shopping with the best of intentions and absolutely no idea what to buy. Paint, but which paint? A brush, but which one? A craft kit? That 100-piece set with every color looks like a great deal for the money? You came looking for Christmas gift ideas for artists, or gifts for the creative person in your life, and there are plenty below: the good, the great, and the please don't.

A creative challenge is a defined creative commitment with a beginning, an end, and a payoff for finishing. It might ask you to draw every day for a month, complete one unfinished project, or follow a series of steps that helps you get back to making art. That structure is part of the appeal. A creative challenge can help you build a habit, make progress on something you have avoided, or get past the blank page. The problem is that the challenge itself can become another b

One of the most common topics in my executive coaching practice isn't leadership or communication. It's guilt. Guilt for leaving work on time. Guilt for taking a vacation. Guilt for investing in themselves and their own development instead of squeezing in one more hour of work. Over the years, I've noticed something surprising: that same guilt doesn't stay at work. It follows people home, right into their creative life. If you feel guilty taking an hour for yourself at work,

"I used to make art." Sometimes it's painting. Sometimes quilting, pottery, sewing, knitting, or keeping a sketchbook. The medium changes, but the sentiment doesn't. I've heard that sentence hundreds of times. People think they’ve lost their creativity. I don’t think that’s what’s happened. I think they lost their rhythm. I know, because I did too.

Showing up matters. I’m a big believer in sitting in the seat, lowering your expectations, and being willing to make imperfect art. But I also want my studio time to count.