I could tell something was wrong. 

I was a successful UX researcher for a major tech company, I was a homeowner, I had two dogs, I was married. 

On paper, my life looked great. 

Then why… this nagging feeling? 

Maybe you’ve been there. You started out life with a plan to live creatively. You wanted to be an artist, a writer, a game designer, “something creative.” You felt a fire in you to be constantly making. 

But as you got older, you learned you had to compromise. Making art was hard. It wasn’t as valued as other things. So you tried living a split life, a double life. And slowly, surely, the compromise took over. 

Even if you haven’t been there, I have. This was my life. I was financially stable, but I felt like a huge piece of me was missing. It took me a long time to recognize that I had buried my creativity – and honestly, many of my other squishy, vulnerable human needs as well. 

So I decided to work on answering some questions… 

Where had my creativity gone? Could I get it back?

Why did I struggle so much managing my energy, and making time for both my work life and my creative life? 

Why did it feel so hard to connect to other people, and why was just talking to someone outside of my rigid confines of a UX research session a struggle?

What was actually and really important to me? 

Investigating these questions have taken me many places so far. It took me to community college to take art classes, it took me to a psychologist’s office to get assessed, it took me to a local inclusive art studio to act as a creative mentor, it’s taken my bank account for a beating. 😉

But I’m still here, still learning, and slowly carving out a sustainable life for myself as a neurodivergent clay artist influenced by and still often buoyed up by my tech and design background. 

When I tell people what I do, so many of them tell me, “Oh, I used to be creative but…” or “I’m not really that artistic anymore.” And I hear the longing in their voice to get back to prioritizing creativity in their life.

I usually tell them… you can.

And so can you!

In this blog, I hope to share some of my creative journey with you. I’ll include personal stories that I hope are relatable, the stories behind projects I’m working on, and work and trends that inspire me. I’ll also include tips, templates, and printables that have helped me move toward my goals, as well as invitations to join me in creative experiences. 

Follow me if you’re an artist looking for fellowship or inspiration, or if you feel in your bones that you are, if only life didn’t get so in the way. Let’s inspire each other!