Work as Rest. Work As Play.

“I think because my paintings are quiet, they’re a respite from the rest of the world…That’s the work my work does for me. It allows me to go back to a place of play and imagination and hope.”

This is from a lovely interview from Colossal with Amy Sherald, a painter and portraitist who famously created First Lady Michelle Obama’s official portrait. It’s a beautiful story and profile of Amy’s experience as an artist, a Black woman, and storyteller.

In the interview, Sherald describes how her work allows her to rest from the world beyond her and find peace in her own immediate world. She shares how she’s had to learn to stay “no,” especially as her work has gained visibility, in order to keep this peace. And, importantly, when asked about how she moves on to the next canvas after a portrait of Michelle Obama, she responds with: “waking up the next morning, I’m saying, ‘I have to get back to work.’ It was really as simple as that.”

For me, this is a refreshing take on what I would imagine is a challenging industry to be in. Art is a full expression of self—how can you even begin to fit that into the cultural expectations of traditional work (i.e: show up, work, get paid, repeat.) While she doesn’t answer this directly, she does offer some relief from the tension of it all, not to mention an encouraging example for staying true to whatever work we do.

I highly recommend reading the full interview, especially if you’re an artist, aspiring artist, or where your work is an expression of you.