Have you always believed that art is not a team sport? That being a successful artist means locking yourself away in your studio, creating your masterpieces, and never talking to anybody about your process? If so, I have a little secret to share with you—making more friends in the creative community might be exactly what you need to grow as an artist right now.
If you’ve been stuck in a rut, painting the same things in the same style, never feeling motivated to start new pieces, or quitting halfway whenever you do get started, chances are you’re probably feeling really alone. Watching other artists thrive on social media isn’t exactly helping, either. You might feel like nobody in your life really gets what you’re going through, and you’re wishing there was somebody who could give you feedback, listen to your ideas, and pull you out of your funk. But so far, you haven’t had much luck finding people on the same wavelength.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know that I’m a big believer in using art as self-care. I often talk about the benefits of painting to release stress, bring more joy into your life, and take time out of your busy day to create. But this post is a little different because art isn’t just a great way to connect with yourself and find your inner voice—it’s also a wonderful way to connect with other people and make new friends. And let’s be honest, the older we get, the harder it is to make new friends outside of work, right?
So today, I want to talk about the positive impact that building your creative community can have on your art and your life. No matter how far along you are on your painting journey, you don’t have to do it alone.
1. Make New Friends Who Share Your Passion
The first reason to surround yourself with more creative people is, of course, to make new friends. Think back to when you were in school. You probably gravitated toward people who shared your interests. Maybe your friend group liked music, played on the same basketball team, or enjoyed reading in the library at lunchtime. You spent so much time surrounded by people who liked doing the same things as you, and as time went on, you watched each other grow and improve. Maybe you even had a healthy amount of competition going within your group, motivating you to improve your skills so you could be the best.
As we get older, it’s much harder to find people who share our interests, let alone actually make the time to paint, make music, or play basketball together. But when we do spend time with people who share our passions, it’s so much fun. You get to see your hobby in a whole new light because you’re seeing it from another person’s point of view.
When you find common ground with someone, you learn new things, swap tips and recommendations, and discover artists you’ve never heard of. As the ideas come flooding in, suddenly, you want to practice more and actively look for new ways to level up your skills. And the best part? Your new friend is going through the exact same thing. If there’s anything better than growing, it’s growing together. It’s honestly a magical feeling.
So where do you find these creative people?
I’m a huge fan of using social media to connect with people who inspire you and share your interests, but of course, we have to address some of its downsides.
2. Get Out of the Social Media Bubble
Talking to other creatives gets you out of the social media bubble and into the reality of being an artist. If you’re always comparing your work to other artists on social media and beating yourself up because your paintings never turn out the way theirs do, it might be time to burst that bubble and start having real conversations with people.
I love the freedom that platforms like YouTube and Instagram give us to connect with like-minded people. I’ve built my whole business on it! Years later, I’m still amazed that I can have conversations with artists from all around the world, exchange ideas, and get tons of inspiration just by scrolling through my feed.
But let’s be honest—social media is not the most realistic representation of what being an artist is like on a daily basis. For example, you might see an artist you look up to creating three finished pieces every week because that’s what they share online. What you don’t see is the meltdown they had because they couldn’t get the colors to blend right or the huge stack of failed attempts on their desk. People don’t tend to share the whole process—they share their wins.
When all you see is the final result, it’s easy to forget the time and effort that went into it, and even easier to forget the years of hard work it takes to get really good at something. Judging your reality by someone else’s highlight reel is never a good idea, but it’s especially dangerous if you’re a beginner—because every time you scroll through your social media, you’ll start questioning your abilities and feel like giving up. There’s a really thin line between inspiration and comparison, and you don’t want to be on the wrong side of it.
This is where the power of community comes in.
Sometimes, all it takes is one conversation with someone who understands what you’re going through to shift your mindset and help you take the right action. Once you start talking to other artists, you’ll quickly realize that we all share the same struggles. We all have days when we don’t feel like creating, or when everything we try goes wrong. Our workstations are almost never as tidy as they seem in edited pictures, and we all feel like giving up on a painting sometimes, especially during those messy stages early on in the process.
Start talking to people about their process, and you’ll see that for every high, there are hundreds of lows that you don’t see on their feed. I know it can be intimidating, especially if you’re an introvert like I am, but I promise you people won’t bite, and most of the time, they’re looking for someone to talk to as well. Plus, they like art too, so you’ll always have something to talk about.
Okay, so as I mentioned, all artists have days when they just don’t feel inspired. But being part of a creative community can actually help with that!
3. Share Ideas and Get Inspired
So many of us still believe in the myth that you need inspiration to create good art. In reality, it takes showing up consistently and practicing your art as often as you can. If you haven’t seen my recent video on the myth of motivation, I highly recommend checking it out.
In that video, I talked about designing a lifestyle that supports your creativity. If you want your painting habit to stick, or any other habit for that matter, you’ve got to tie it back to your identity—the kind of person you want to be.
You might have heard the famous saying that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. That’s why sometimes you’ll catch yourself picking up the same phrases your parents use or wearing similar outfits to your closest friends. You’re not copying anybody, but subconsciously your brain is picking up on social cues from your environment and translating that into the things you say or do.
Whether we notice it or not, we are influenced by the people closest to us, so it can be super helpful to be intentional about the people you surround yourself with if you want to see positive changes in your own life.
For example, we all know a person who is always super positive and optimistic, never complains about anything, and makes us feel good about ourselves every time we see them. If you spent a lot of time in that person’s energy, you’d probably start looking on the bright side of life too.
It’s the same with creativity.
If you’re having a hard time staying motivated to create art, or you find yourself giving up on your paintings too quickly, it might be because you’re not surrounding yourself with people who support your art and inspire you to keep pushing through the challenges. I’m not saying you should blame your motivation issues on other people—the best kind of inspiration comes from within. But you can use the power of community to grow as an artist.
It’s simple, really—spending time with people who are trying to get better at painting is probably going to make you paint more. If you see someone else pushing through a messy stage in their painting and coming out the other side with a gorgeous final result, you’ll remember that next time you’re frustrated that something didn’t work out the way you hoped and you have to decide whether to scrap it or keep going.
We all like to have sources of motivation on hand when we’re not feeling our best. That’s why study Instagrams and inspirational podcasts are so popular! Knowing that somebody else is going through the same thing we are, or that they’ve done it in the past, makes us feel a little less alone with our problems—and a lot more motivated to keep going.
Seeing what’s possible for other people ultimately expands your idea of what’s possible for you when you believe in yourself and stick to your art. And of course, it works both ways. When you share your highs and lows with other creatives, you end up inspiring them too!
4. Talk About the Highs and Lows
The last reason to surround yourself with creative people is conversation. By that, I mean giving and getting feedback, both positive and constructive. Bouncing ideas off each other. Knowing that whenever you have a problem or a question, you have a support system to turn to.
Becoming a better artist is not just about getting praise and compliments on your work. Sure, they’re amazing to receive, but to be honest, you could probably get them from friends and family. But there are moments when you really need to hear the truth from someone who’s been there and can point you in the right direction, especially if you’re stuck in a creative block or struggling with a technique.
Having a support system means you can get honest, constructive feedback that helps you grow. It’s about finding a safe space where you can share your struggles and celebrate your successes. A community of fellow artists can offer fresh perspectives, challenge your thinking, and encourage you to push beyond your comfort zone.
So, don’t shy away from sharing your work and asking for feedback. Engage in conversations about your art, your process, and your challenges. You’ll find that not only does it help you improve, but it also fosters deeper connections with others who share your passion.
In summary, surrounding yourself with creative people isn’t just about making friends; it’s about enhancing your art, finding motivation, and gaining valuable feedback. So get out there, connect with fellow artists, and watch how your creative journey transforms!
If you'd like to develop your watercolor skills, increase confidence in your art, and transform your creative outlet into a regular source of joy and peace while surrounded by a supportive community of watercolor artists, sign up to the priority list here!