In Praise of Hobbies

Hobbies. That activity you had when you were a kid. Left behind as you began seriously adulting. Returned to in moments of existential crisis, like a global pandemic.

Hobbies have served me well. I've had at least one hobby (knitting) since I was six years old. The pride I felt when I finished that first scarf...the frustrations of the many projects since...the joy of curious exploration as my skills have improved...

I'm going to pepper this post with photos from other's hobbies.

My sister, Mar, is a lawyer in a Memphis hospital.
Quilting gives her sanity, especially during the pandemic.

One of the big benefits of most hobbies is you end the process with a tangible thing, a material item. You can hold it in your hands. You can use it in your life. You can smell it, you can put it on. You can give it away.  This benefit is especially valuable for a performing artist. Having a thing to hold when your career involves creating products that live in the air and in your heart, and in the hearts of others is beyond comforting.

Sabrina Boyd-Surka works in sound every day. Ten months into the pandemic, she bought simple materials and started improvising.

I'm captivated by the texture in Sabrina's piece.

In challenging times, like global pandemics, hobbies give us a way to refocus our energies. Uncertainty fades, even for a few minutes, when one is focusing on the size of board to cut for the new birdhouse or the color of paint to add to the canvas.

Some hobbies encourage us to change locations. I have an acquaintance who is an ardent birdwatcher. Based on her IG feed, she's in a new outdoor spot every weekend. I must admit I'm a bit jealous. 

Some hobbies require our hands to work differently than they do in our career. Modern people seem to like this. Our ancestors had no choice; they had to work with their hands all the time. They were happy to have their hands idle at the end of their 20-hour work day. Us? We crave something besides scrolling and typing. 

Jane Tonkin remembered my love of hummingbirds

Certainty. There's certainty in a hobby. The pattern tells us where we'll likely to end up. The journey can be pleasant, not too difficult. We can engage with others. A sense of satisfaction. Give a piece of ourselves to others. 

Intended for a Christmas tree, I hung them on the coatrack in my studio.
They're colorful reminders of Jane's creativity and the eternal promise of spring.

I've been contemplating why so many choose needlecraft - embroidery, knitting, crocheting, quilting. I have some ideas. They're not messy, like painting or ceramics. They're easy and inexpensive to start - a few supplies and you're on your way. There are colors to explore, textures to play with. Most people follow a pattern, at least to start, so there's an image of what the project should look like. The pattern provides some certainty. However, as the skill develops, I can veer off on a side path. Enter individuality. Enter creativity.

Rachel Gitel DeMasi has been severely impacted by the loss of income and artistic outlet, as well as health issues, during the pandemic. When I found out she was healing through the lost art of cross stitch, I knew my own embroidery materials had found their ideal home. I sent her a box of supplies and in returned, she surprised me with this lovely piece. After hearing about my personal practice to Listen better at a recent Unexplored Artist seminar, Rachel used her creativity and added the word to this piece.

I start every day with the lovely reminder of Rachel's work.

Now would be the ideal time for you to consider adding a hobby to your life. Or revisit one from years past. Or zero in on one skill in a current hobby. The rewards are waiting for you.