Have you ever wanted to be an art lover? You know those girls that carry around a tiny canvas and a set of watercolors in their purse? Or what about those girlies that know the difference between a Rembrandt and a Monet? Being an art girl isn’t just about being an artist, it’s about embracing creativity. There are so many people that are stuck in the grind of the 9-to-5 that don’t know how to connect with creativity in their spare time. A lot of people don’t have the time for an art hobby and yet they crave to be in spaces and places where color, music, and literature thrive. Being surrounded by art and creativity helps to infuse passion within our souls and it’s important to pursue that.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money or a lot of time to find spaces that cultivate creativity. You also don’t have to travel to France to visit the Louvre or take an art class, you just have to know where to go. 

Here are a few ideas to help you find your art groove.

1. Visit the Artists in their Natural Habitat

The best way to experience art other than creating it yourself is to observe someone else in the process of creating. Try going to a concert, especially an outdoor one in the Spring or Summer, where you’ll be thrown into a cacophony of sound, surrounded by people that are dancing and singing. The vibes are contagious! 

Similarly, going to an art museum whether it’s traditional portraits galleries or modern art, can be another way to immerse yourself in beauty, colors and different designs. You can also go to a mackerspace where people create in busy rooms together using laser cutters or sewing machines. People like to join these spaces so that they can create art in community. It’s a very exciting place just to observe for the day. 

2. Get a Sketch Book & Go

Have you ever tried just taking a sketchbook and some colored pencils and going into nature to create? Something as simple as sitting in front of a body of water and trying to recreate the image of the moving waves while listening to classical music can be calming and energizing at the same time. The same thing can happen if you take an old school single-use camera on a nature walk. You might surprise yourself with what you can do with simple tools and familiar spaces. And what about journaling in public? I love putting pen to paper when I’m sitting near the lake in my neighborhood with a cup of coffee beside me.  

3. Watch Films about Creatives 

There are some movies that we watch for entertainment and some movies that we watch to learn. If you are mindful, you can use television to understand the groundbreaking and intimate lives of some of the most innovative creatives across history. Watching documentaries and biopics that teach us about the artists that have come before us can inspire us to cultivate art in our everyday lives.

I recently stumbled upon Netflix’s Chef’s Table where I learned about the incredible food journeys of these different chefs from countries around the world.Their stories of triumphs and tribulations are expiring and propel me to continue in my own art journey.

4. Read

Last, but not least, you can experience art through literature. Reading transports our minds, bodies and souls and it’s the perfect way to feel connected to other artists.  There is nothing more enjoyable for me than finding a new cozy bookstore or historic library. I not only love searching for great books in these places, but I love being surrounded by books in buildings that have a history. 

Try doing your work in a library or having a coffee date at a bookstore. I’m sure you’ll find the experience to be rejuvenating.