My passion about this topic recently resurfaced while watching Julia Rothman’s studio tour on Patreon. Her “studio” is a tiny, cluttered closet-like room in her apartment, which is a far cry from the brightly-lit, expansive studios that most art influencers present. These art influencers and “inspirational artists” usually don’t have a separate career of their own to earn their artwork creation, supplies, and studio space, but who have a husband or partner who’ve created the space for them and/or whose income pays the bills so that these artists can stay home and play the day away in their large beautiful spaces without responsibility. And frankly, most of their art careers have been able to develop because they haven’t needed a day job.

I remember laughing to myself when one popular female YouTube artist was whining about not having her own separate building for her art studio — when she already had her own very large room in the home she shares with just her husband and dog. I mean, how could she possibly be expected to keep creating art when she “only” had her own room?

I’ve honestly always wondered is why people look to these housewives as inspirational examples, when their luxurious situations are unrelatable to most real people? Or maybe they’re simply capitalizing on the ad revenue from other bored, kept housewives who pick up art-making to keep themselves occupied and whose pocketbooks are continually refilled by their working partners?

Where are the videos of artists like me, who aren’t being provided for and need a full-time art-unrelated job, and are still being priced out of the local rental market despite working nonstop?

I remember years ago, when one female artist called me “whiny” because I had been laid off from a small local company and was sadly unable to refill my stash of art supplies, being temporarily on food stamps and public assistance while I looked for another job to support myself, my young son, and dogs. As with the woman above, this woman didn’t have to work, had a lovely studio of her own provided by her affluent husband, and could access every art supply she could dream of. She frequently took herself on fancy creative retreats. and she couldn’t understand what it was like to not be taken care of, to be responsible for working and pay bills, or to have to literally decide between food and nice art supplies.

Stating actual circumstances isn’t whining (especially when you’re continually taking action), but to the privileged and entitled, it’s a reminder of a reality they’d rather not admit exists.

Of course, my circumstances at the time didn’t stop me from making art with whatever cheap supplies and thrift store leftovers I could find, just as sleeping on the living room floor of a tiny, 625 square foot apartment that I share with a 13yo and two dogs doesn’t stop me from making art whenever and wherever I can.

For example, I often end up commandeering our tiny kitchen counter for creating:

Sometimes, it’s covered for days (which is when we make simpler meals that don’t require much countertop prep):

I’ve never been taken care of. I’ve never had a safety net. And so I adapt to whatever circumstances arise.

I’ve never decided I have to stop making art until I can find an affordable three-bedroom home to rent in our valley (I wouldn’t even call our tiny one-bedroom “affordable”). I just keep going. Even if it means changing the type of art I’m currently making (the Polaroid emulsion lifts take up much less space — in making and in storage) than the large, six-foot canvases I would love to paint.

People are continually telling me how shocked the are at the amount of art I make (despite usually working 1-3 “real” jobs at any given time; as of last week I’m down to one, but am looking for a second). I know I’m incredibly creative and insatiably productive; those are truths.

AND.

That’s come from my willingness to adapt to any and every circumstance thrown my way. My resourcefulness and determination to express myself artistically no matter what. I’m no art snob. I’m not above Crayolas. Which is why I can’t seem to stop making things.

And ANYONE can do this. ANYONE can be creative when they’re willing to adapt and explore and experiment out of curiosity. It’s not reserved for wealthy, kept housewives. It’s not reserved for those who have the funds and support to rent or build their own studio space. It’s not reserved for those who can spend hundreds of dollars on fancy supplies.

Creativity is accessible to EVERYONE.