The pandemic has affected my art and creative process in a surprisingly wonderful way. I had put my art on the back burner for quite a while, never using it to my advantage. Once the pandemic hit, I ended up losing my main income job, like most of us, but what I did gain was loads of time for creativity and creating.
I finally had time to finish those undone paintings, make stickers and prints I had worked on for a while, and learn new skills I had always wanted to acquire.
The pandemic gave me time to invest in myself and my art. It empowered me to start my small business doing what I love. Being stuck in the house with nowhere to go and nothing to do gifted me the chance to finally get the ball rolling and believe in myself like never before.
Not every day was rainbows and sunshine but waking up knowing all I had to do that day was work on my art, create new ideas, designs and share them with the world made a big difference. This was something I hadn’t had the chance to do ever before. That is happiness right there; that’s how I kept the energy flowing during such a weird time. Although it was a rough and sad year for all, I am grateful for the time, isolation, and what it has done for me as a creator.
Meg West is a young artist who grew up on Cape Cod. She got her degree in illustration from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She describes her style as colorful, organic, and edgy. She is currently living in Baja California, Mexico, with her boyfriend and two cats.
You can find her art at @castor_creatives on Instagram and contact her at castorcreatives@gmail.com.