Finding Time to Paint and Preparing for Lancaster Makers Market

Life has a way of filling up quickly—work, family, responsibilities, and all the other parts of “adulting” that demand attention. Among all of this, carving out time to paint can sometimes feel impossible. But I’ve learned that when I set myself a deadline—an exhibition, a commission, or a market—it gives me the push I need to prioritise my art. Right now, that deadline is the upcoming Lancaster Makers Market, and it’s been the motivation I needed to get back into the studio and create.

Recently, I applied for the Lancaster Open. I wasn’t successful this time, which was disappointing, but the story didn’t end there. Instead, I was invited to have a stall at the Makers Market. It feels like one of those moments where a closed door gently nudges you toward a different path, and I’m choosing to see this as an exciting opportunity.

I’ve taken part in a few markets before, but I haven’t quite found the right one for my art yet—the kind of place where people truly connect with my work. I’m hopeful that Lancaster Makers Market will be different, and that the right people will be there: people who value art, who feel drawn to wildlife and the natural world, and who perhaps will see something of themselves in my paintings.

More than just sharing my work, I’m really looking forward to connecting with other creatives and makers on the day. There’s something so energising about being surrounded by people who understand the joy (and the struggle) of making, and I know I’ll leave feeling inspired.

I’m still very much on a journey. I’m not yet the artist I dream of being—the one whose work is in demand, whose paintings touch others as deeply as making them touches me. But that dream of becoming a full-time artist, of spending my days immersed in creativity, is still as bright as ever. Every step, every market, every painting is a move closer to it.

In the studio busy getting ready for Lancaster Makers Market!