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Are Caregivers Allowed to be Artists?
Adapting advice from creativity gurus to the gritty realities of caregiving
Our society is hostile to caregivers and artists. We have created rigid systems that reward conformity and punish creativity. We worship economic achievement while ignoring the reality that we need caregivers for society to function, and we need artists for life to be more than toil and trouble.
If you happen to be an artist who is also a caregiver, you are doubly cursed. You can never do enough. Your caregiving is undervalued, and your artistic endeavors are suspect as they lack sufficient economic utility and take time away from your holy (but worthless) calling as a caregiver.
I am an artist. I’m a poet and illustrator. My primary creative focus is making poetry comics. I’m also a freelance writer and illustrator, as poetry comics do not yet pay all my bills. But, before all of those roles, I’m a caregiver.
However, it often feels like being a caregiver is incompatible with being an artist. The most popular books on creativity, writing, and art all send the message that you need a slavish, monk-like devotion to your craft to be a true artist.
Last night, I was reminded how much time and focus caregiving takes.
