Creative Hobbies to Try

Creative hobbies don’t have to be elaborate or time-consuming. Gina has some beautiful work on her website that is made from everyday objects, like empty cans that she has painted using rich colors and beautiful imagery. I asked Gina how she got started with this style of work and she said, “I’d been deeply immersed in my sketchbook practice for some time when quarantine started. I was ready to inject something new into it at the exact same time we were all hit with that early pandemic reaction of stockpiling shelf-stable supplies. In Philadelphia, where I live, our recycling pick-up was backed up, again due to the staffing concerns around the pandemic. With all of this together, I looked toward our piles of freshly accumulated cans and saw something that would let me continue the visual and narrative themes I was exploring in my sketchbook, but in a new way.”

Leanne Polidore got into leather working through a happy accident. She explains, “We got into leatherwork somewhat by happenstance. A good friend of ours was working for a local shoe store when one day the window display team came in to take down a display. The window was full of these beautiful, vintage leather hides. He got to talking with the team and asked what they planned to do with the display after taking it down. To his surprise, they told him they were going to dispose of the hides in a dumpster out back. Needless to say, he showed up at our small apartment, a few hours later, with a trunk full of vintage hides.

The hides sat in our art studio for some time, I would make items here and there, for myself and gifts for friends and family. Until one day, I showed Nick, my husband, some leather catch-all bowls I had made and he decided to try his hand at sewing some wallets. I had never seen him sew before, so I was a bit skeptical but what he made wasn't half bad. When he was done he looked at me and said, "I really think we could make a business out of this," and thus Hemlock and Hyde was born.”

If you aren’t sure where to start, consider grabbing a sketchbook. Gina says, “My sketchbook has always been a place for me to work through my thoughts, and try things out without the weight of it being a finished artwork. For someone starting a sketchbook practice, I’d say the most critical thing is to not be critical. A sketchbook is a place for experiments that don’t always work out or things that don’t always get polished up.”

If you want to try painting, take a page out of Lee Ann’s book and use time blocking to create a boundary for yourself.  Of her process, she shared, “I like to start a piece and work on it compulsively until it's finished in one sitting. I very rarely work on a piece for an extended period of weeks or months, instead, I work on a painting for 12 hours straight. I'm trying to capture a sensation that's so fleeting, and I can't seem to get into the same headspace when I put something down and pick it back up later.” As a single mother, Lee Ann carves out time to paint when her children are spending time with her ex.

While purchasing top-of-the-line art supplies can be energizing and inspiring, don’t let having all the “right” things hold you back. All of us work with found objects, scraps, and easy to procure supplies. 

Even just a pencil and some paper can get you started. Lee Ann says, “There's something about paper that takes away the perfectionism in me and allows me to freely play and let go of the outcome. If I love how something turns out I can mount it to wood or frame it and give it a sense of permanence. If I hate it or lose that sensation in the middle of working I can walk away without commitment. You can't be precious on paper; the surface won't support it.”

What creative hobby are you looking forward to trying? Let us know in the comments. Feel free to use our Printfresh pajama patterns as inspiration for your creative projects. Post them on Instagram and be sure to tag us! 

A special thanks to our contributors. You can keep up with them here:

Gina Triplett – get inspired on her website or Instagram.

Leanne Polidore – visit their website or see what they are up to on their Instagram.

Lee Ann Scotto Adams – follow her painting journey on her Instagram and learn more about her work on her website.