When Creativity Takes a Back Seat (Temporarily)

Hey friends~ just a heads-up: this post isn’t in the usual format you might be used to seeing from me. It’s a bit more personal, more stream-of-consciousness. Thanks for understanding~ it felt important to share where I’m at.

Lately, I’ve found myself knee-deep in admin mode~ between building out our Skool platform and updating our website, there hasn’t been much time (or mental space) left for actual art-making. And as someone who lives and breathes creativity, that’s been... a little frustrating.

Don’t get me wrong~ I’m incredibly excited about what we’re building with ACI and all the tools we’re creating for artists, students, and the wider creative community. Skool, especially, has been something I’ve wanted to get off the ground for a while. It’s going to be a space where artists at every level can learn, grow, and feel supported. But wow, do these things take time.

Creating courses does help scratch the itch a little~ it’s still creative work in its own right. Planning lessons, filming, writing, designing visuals~ it all takes a certain flow and imagination. But it’s not quite the same as sitting down and losing yourself in a sketch, a painting, or a piece that’s just for you. I miss that.

That said, I know how important this phase is. Right now, I’m paving the foundation for something much bigger, something that will hopefully support not just my own creative work, but the work of so many others. I’m okay with taking a temporary step back from daily creation if it means building something sturdy, something that won’t topple later. I don’t want to just throw up a house of cards~ I want this to last.

Still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the pull. I currently have five sketchbooks scattered around my desks, all silently judging me. (Yes, I’m being haunted by my own paper army.) They’re open to half-finished pieces, thumbnails, and scattered notes~ waiting for me to come back to them when the whirlwind settles a bit.

If you’re in a similar boat~ where your creative side is playing second fiddle to logistics~ I see you. Sometimes, the work behind the scenes is the work that allows the creative part to thrive later. This is just a season, and I’m reminding myself that my hands will be back in paint (or ink, or watercolor, or whatever medium calls next) soon.

For now, I'm channeling whatever creative energy I can into making Skool and the site feel like a true reflection of what ACI stands for: our art, our community, expression, learning, and empowerment.

Thanks for sticking with me. The art will return~ I promise.

~ Hansheng