Finding and Maintaining Balance as an Artist

The Art of Wellbeing

As we leave another holiday season behind and return to full workloads, I find myself thinking about health. The final days of the holidays were spent in a very comfortable reclining chair, watching films and enjoying those last lingering treats and beverages. When I woke to begin my New Year, it arrived with a stiff neck and radiating shoulder pain. Normally, this kind of pain comes from long days painting. This time, it came from doing the opposite. Too much sitting, too much stillness. The Art of Wellbeing takes balance.

As I get older, I’m far more aware of how my body responds to my habits, and how important it is to keep everything moving. As a full-time painter, my work involves repetitive motions and long stretches alone in the studio. Over time, I’ve learned that walking alone isn’t enough to keep me well. Health, much like art, requires balance.

For the Back, Neck, and Balance

After nearly twenty years away from the gym, I recently rejoined one in my new hometown. I still walk regularly, but I’ve added something essential to my routine: weights. Strength training not only builds muscle, it stretches the body in ways that painting never does.

As a right-handed painter, my right side is both stronger and more injury-prone. Using weight machines that work both sides of the body simultaneously has helped me rebuild balance. I’ve also focused on strengthening my lower body. Even though I stand while painting, I sit for long periods when working on the business side of art. A supportive ergonomic chair makes a difference, and years ago I invested in a Spinalis chair, which continues to serve me well.

For Mental Health

Walking and hiking offer invaluable time in nature, but they don’t always provide social connection. Artists often work in deep solitude, and it’s not unusual for me to go weeks without seeing or speaking to anyone in person. With so much communication happening digitally, I found myself needing more real-world interaction.

Living in a walkable city has helped. I now run errands in person rather than online whenever possible. Rejoining the gym added a layer of casual social contact I didn’t realize I was missing. Volunteering locally within the arts community has also been meaningful. It keeps me engaged, connected, and still immersed in conversations about art.

Balance Is the Work – The Art of Wellbeing

We talk about balance often when discussing health, but achieving it is one thing, maintaining it is another. Sometimes we drift off course. The important thing is learning how to gently correct and continue forward. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about slow, steady progress.

Consistency matters. There are days when I have to talk myself into stepping foot in the gym, but I’ve never left feeling worse than when I arrived. Movement shifts my mood, clears my head, and supports the work I return to in the studio.

Lose Yourself, But Surface

Losing yourself in your work for weeks at a time is part of the artistic process. That deep focus is often where the best ideas live. But it’s just as important to surface regularly. It’s easy to stay submerged until your tank is empty, then scramble back for air. That kind of cycle takes a toll.

Come up for air before you’re depleted. Your body, your mind, and your work will all benefit.