How I Balance Art With Everyday Life (When Art Is My Everyday Life)

People often ask me how I balance art with “everyday life.” The truth is—I don’t really separate the two. Art is my everyday life. From doing my makeup and styling my hair, to the music I listen to and the way I see the world—everything is connected to creativity. It’s not something I switch on and off; it’s simply who I am.

Living and Breathing Creativity

For me, creating isn’t a scheduled event—it’s a constant rhythm running through everything I do. I find inspiration in the smallest things: the colors in a sunset, the pattern of raindrops on a window, even the way light hits my workspace. Some days I’ll be deep in a painting; other days I’ll be experimenting with a new look or sketching ideas for future pieces. Art shows up in all forms, and that’s what keeps it alive for me.

When Creativity Meets Expectation

But here’s where it gets tricky—university. As much as I love learning and being surrounded by creativity, it’s often the academic tasks that challenge my balance the most. When art becomes an expectation—something I’m required to produce on a deadline—it suddenly feels heavier. That’s when I struggle.

It’s not that I lose my passion; it’s that the pressure to create on demand can silence the natural flow that usually fuels my work. I’ve had to learn how to separate creating for grades from creating for me. Sometimes that means stepping away from an assignment to reconnect with what inspires me in the first place—music, movement, emotion, or just quiet space to think.

Finding My Flow Again

I remind myself that balance doesn’t always mean everything is perfectly aligned. Some weeks, university takes over and my personal projects have to wait. Other times, I let my instincts lead and allow my personal art to guide my academic work. I’ve realized that both worlds can feed each other if I give myself room to breathe.

Art as a Way of Life

At the end of the day, balancing art and life isn’t really about dividing them—it’s about letting them exist together. Even when I’m working on university tasks, my creativity still finds a way through. Every challenge, every deadline, and every late-night idea becomes part of my artistic process.

Because art isn’t just something I do—it’s the lens through which I live, think, and grow

With love and minerals,

Ellie Jane.