The Hobbies of Artists

[Use Her Name]

I recently took up a hobby after years of not having one, and am thoroughly enjoying myself. I think that having a hobby gives a person a little respite from the work of even art. My new hobby is creating orchidariums. That is a terrarium whose main plants are orchids, bromeliads and so on. I guess if you live in Florida or a warm, humid place, this would not be interesting, but I am in the desert southwest, and working out how to get the proper combination of heat, light, air movement, and humidity is a real task. In a year or two I would like to build a large orchidarium with a background of sculpted rocks, a waterfall and so on.

I guess some people would say an art job (artist) is enough of both a job and a hobby, and there is no need to release the stress of the job. But for an artist not to have other interests is to limit him or her. Truly there are stress releaving activities like swimming or exercise, but I’d like to know about the hobbies of artists here.

So do you have a hobby like building model trains or sewing outfits or woodworking? I will bet intelligent and creative people like the people here have a number of interests, not just art. Obviously, art can be a hobby too, and there are many people here who work elsewhere and do their art as a hobby. But I guess specifically, I would like to hear about “other” hobbies artists might have.

Thanks.

No longer a member of WC. Bye.

[members]

Yes, hobbies do make for a more well rounded life, even if one loves their job. Besides, art as a job isn’t all creating and having fun; there is a business side to it, too. Not everyone enjoys that side.

Guess you could say my hobbies are gardening and bird watching, neither of which I do in a big way, but it’s fun. Also like to ice skate, and though I haven’t done it since I was younger, play ice hockey.

[La_]

my art side is definitely dominant … painting, writing, photography, basking on the deck, absorbing ideas from the air, the view.

bar tending is my hobby, it socializes me and i need that so as not to become a hermit.

i did buy a metal detector, back when the ground was still frozen … i still haven’t made the time to actually go out and use it, but that’s my other planned hobby … treasure hunting the beaches.

la

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When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace

[fritzie]

Are activities like walking the dog (while observing things that might turn into an artistic subject) or reading novels hobbies in the sense that you mean? Cooking?

There is a difference to me between a hobby like creating orchidariums, on the one hand, and reading or walking on the other. There is a real focus to your orchidarium project, with goals and creative outcomes. Walking or reading novels don’t always have that dimension, though they can.

In fact, for someone like Robert Sloan, who is a pastel artist and a fiction writer, is either a hobby? What makes a secondary creative undertaking, like creating orchidariums, a hobby and what makes it not a hobby in the artist’s life?

[Hazartist]

I garden…we are currently downsizing our 13 flower beds. We also grow veggies and can. I knit, crochet and make jewelry. I love watching EBAY for bargains.

[armak]

I restore classic British motorcycles.

Here’s my most recent one:

Speak to me of summer, long winters
longer than time can remember,
Setting up of other roads, travel on in
old accustomed ways.

[Katie Black]

How lovely to hear about your hobby.

I had to think hard actually, I don’t have anything really unusual or specific, but I do love to bake cakes, not your run of the mill Victoria sandwich cake, but HUGE three tier gateaux’s. For some reason I get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction during the process, they have to look top notch, mouthwatering…the sort you would readily pay money for! and they taste amazing…really!

Some of my favorites are rich dark chocolate cake, carrot cake, Pecan pie,…all extra large size. The best part is sharing them, (I am easily pleased) knowing that people are going to think, my god that crazy woman that wears rags, and is covered in paint, can bake cakes! so I give a large portion of them away… to the cleaner, to the guys that chop trees that pass by my house, I rush out with plastic bags full of cake, I am sure that’s why they are always chopping and pruning the trees near where I live!

My other source of pleasure…is reading…I love to read, not sure you could call that a hobby, but its what I like doing more than anything else in the world, apart from painting. I have just ordered the latest Margaret Atwood book (I love ‘The Handmaids Tale’) and once immersed in a book, I am transported to my own world, and can just let hours drift by transfixed to a great story!

Katie Black Fine Art

"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde

[AprilJoy]

Great topic, Catherine :thumbsup:.
I’m with La, using the “job” as a hobby- the job itself would be drudgery if the relationships with the coworkers and customers weren’t so much fun, but they are.
Also, more due to being the (ahem) first daughter (not oldest :lol:)of a large Italian-American family, I can cook for an army and I (and the family) enjoy my cooking.

…wish I could dig up the article, but years ago, long before all the “cake boss”-esque shows lit up the airwaves, I entered a sculpted cake into the Pennsylvania state fair cake decorating contest & won first place (money & the blue ribbon)….now “everyone’s” doing it :lol:.

Since hubby is Cookie Monster in disguise, one of the hobbies is making desserts, candies…all the stuff a healthy diet avoids :D.

[FONT="Impact"]FuzzyNacho
[FONT="Arial"]"No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist."
Oscar Wilde

[Artyczar]

I don’t really have non-creative hobbies I’m afraid. Makes me feel like a freak. Music has now become a hobby. It was once my livelihood. That’s okay with me though. I play drums with my brother and friends once a month. We are all great musicians gone bad. LOL!

I fiddle with the guitar a bit. I was never great on that in the first place.

I’m also a writer. Been working on a novel for 3 years.

Then there are the Artists’ books. I guess that is not a hobby. Scratch that.

I never have any time to read, but if I did, I’d read the 11-book stack next to my bed, which runs a wide range of fiction, philosophy, psychology, art crit, marketing, nonfiction, and humor.

Film. I make sure I see a film once a month, usually a doc or an independent. A few days ago I saw “Good ol’ Freda” which was excellent.

Gardening, but usually when the garden starts looking really bad, then I’ll spend a few days out there. Then I spend a week or two paying for it, physically.

I like Scrabble. I’ve never lost a game yet. Wait, that’s not true. When it’s timed I do.

[PattiLou]

I don’t have stress from a job since I am retired but I do have plenty of hobbies.:lol: I crochet, knit cross stitch and recently took up tatting. I also like photography and gardening but my main hobby is genealogy. The research takes as much time as you want to put into it. It has been interesting and I met some new cousins (new to me) along the way. Also discovered a few surprises. I am having fun and that is what a hobby is for. I like being a hobbyist… that’s my new career. :smug:

Patti

[La_]

oh my i honestly don’t know whether to or or just

la

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When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know Peace

[Katie Black]

Well, it looks like I’m now going to have a lot more leisure time for hobbies, and painting and yoga and reading.

I just got laid off!

Lucky You!…seriously, hope your not too upset.

Katie Black Fine Art

"Life is far too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde

[Use Her Name]

Well, it looks like I’m now going to have a lot more leisure time for hobbies, and painting and yoga and reading.

I just got laid off!

I know the feeling. I’ve lost 6 jobs and have been homeless twice between 2008 and 2012. Depending on the state you live in, your education, and your need for money, look into the schools systems for their paid substitute programs. Obviously if you need a ton of money to sustain your lifestyle, this might not be right for you. I am a sub with a college degree and make about 70 dollars per day I work. That is actually enough for me. It is hustling a bit for jobs, but I can work every day if I want, or not.

Keep up the positive energy.

No longer a member of WC. Bye.

[Sarosna]

I feel a bit out of place in this topic with my hobby. I’ve been playing computer games for around 21 years now. It all started when my big brothers got a Commodore 62 when I was around 6 years old. That machine was such a marvel. A real wonder of technology during that time. Later we got an Amiga 500 and then eventually a PC when I was around 12 years old.

I eventually tried out a fantasy game called Baldur’s Gate and haven’t looked back since. Since then I’ve played a lot of different fantasy games and have enjoyed great game franchises like the Elder Scrolls series, Dragon Age series and Mass Effect series. I also played WoW for 6 years. I’ve also played other MMOs but Guild Wars is the only game that I played for longer. I’m now trying to get back to Guild Wars 2.

The awesome thing about games is that they are an incredible source of inspiration. The bad thing is that they take up a lot of time. Especially MMOs. I actually cut my gaming back rather heavily in order to get back to art. But I still play single player games to get some inspiration.

My DeviantArt and Facebook

[marksmomagain]

Many years ago, art used to be my hobby; then it became a primary source of income. Now, many years past that, it has become a hobby again. Gardening used to be a hobby, too. Now that I produce almost all of my fruit and vegetables here, it’s no longer a hobby, but a job.

I’ve always liked to sew, that and art are my main hobbies now.

[Author]

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