In times of trouble, sit down and write

So many of us share similar challenges in this pandemic. Eighteen weeks of highs and lows. Longer periods of solitude. Financial concerns. Depression. Disruptions. Boredom. Social isolation. We also have more time than ever before to accomplish projects we have only dreamed about, using our organizational skills and creativity.

Most of us have adjusted, grateful but sorry for our community, our country and our world. What a time.

As an artist and curator, I see the art business in dire straits, like many other industries. With fewer visitors in and out of Santa Fe’s museums, galleries and shops, canceled art festivals, markets and studio tours, and a flood of virtual online galleries, with less sales than ever before, it is time to brainstorm with productive suggestions.

Of course, things will change for the better, but when? What can we do until then?

Thinking positive, why not add keeping a diary or writing a memoir into your plans? If you are an artist, see your story as a marketing tool and possibly a future screenplay: “I was born creative. …”

Ten years ago, I began a weekly memoir writing group at La Posada, knowing the stimulation from interacting with others who love to write would motivate me to put my own stories on paper. Until the virus, dozens of authors and first-time writers have met weekly, many finding their way into print. It has been a gift to every one of us.

If you enjoy writing, let me encourage you. Start with a list of stories, drawn from your life, and then schedule time on your calendar to put them on paper truthfully and in your own voice, just as you would tell them aloud. Whether it is 20 minutes of writing at the beginning of your day or a few hours scheduled throughout the week, write.

For starters, complete this sentence: “One of the nicest things that ever happened to me … .”

Be safe, everybody.

The paintings of American artist Sara Eyestone are published as prints and note cards and sold in museum shops worldwide. She is writing a book titled A Creative Approach to the Business of Art. She lives in Santa Fe.