“The breath is the foundation of every mindfulness practice. It is a tool that’s always with us, accessible at any time for calm, balance and presence of mind.”
— Ashley Neese
As makers, we spend a lot of time sitting in the studio creating intricate pieces. Our hands are accustomed to working meticulously through repetitive tasks throughout the day. Take a moment to consider which parts of your process are the most repetitive.
Photo by Kylee Graff
It’s no secret that engaging in the same action over and over again makes it more likely that you will develop a repetitive strain injury. The good news is that this outcome is not inevitable. Learning more about your most important tool, your body, can be incredibly empowering. Developing a mindful studio practice will give you the leverage you need to pursue your creative vision on every level.
Wellness for Makers
Mindfulness is the act of noticing and connecting to your physical body. There are many ways you can become more mindful in the studio. How often do you find yourself scrambling to fill an order, finish a piece, complete preparations for a big show, or rework image files to submit to your next call for entry? Do you ever feel like the stress of your creative practice is so overwhelming that it’s hard to stay connected to your body? Has anyone ever told you to, “Just breathe,” or, “Focus on your breath”? Sometimes those phrases can sound so ridiculous because we’re always breathing, right? If we weren’t, we would have much bigger problems! But, it’s important to know that focusing on the sounds, feelings, and movements of your breath can physically calm you down by sending signals to your nervous system. It only takes a few moments, but it goes a long way.
Photo by Monica Zaldivar
Change inevitably affects our bodies. Not all of the things that change are within our control, but the actions you take can positively or negatively influence the changes that happen naturally. If you choose not to evaluate your posture, and you sit hunched-over working on a piece for long periods of time each day, your muscles will adapt to make it easier to hold that position. They will become overstretched in some areas and shortened in others. As a result, your body will physically lay down extra connective tissue where it thinks you no longer need access to a range of motion (if you don’t use it, you lose it). This then changes your body’s mobility and elasticity.
Photo by Monica Zaldivar
Take a moment to check-in with your body. How is your posture? How does your posture affect your breath? What does it feel like to make subtle adjustments? Remember that even little adjustments help your body learn how to create new patterns and build strength in areas that might be lacking. Every single time you make an effort to improve your posture, you’re re-training your muscles to learn to sustain that structure.
I am inviting you to learn how to connect to your body, not escape it. Why? Resilience is your capacity to recover from difficulties. Becoming more connected to your body isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about gaining a stronger perspective and being mindful of the relationship between your studio practices and your body, which means noticing how you feel.
Have you ever tried to meditate? Meditating can seem intimidating to a lot of people, but there are many credible studies that have shown mindfulness meditation can positively impact mental and physical health. Having a consistent practice can help to improve your focus while you’re working on what you love to work on most. So why not give it a try? I often hear students say things like, “I don’t know how to meditate,” or, “I’m so bad at meditating because I can’t stop my thoughts from wandering”.
Photo by Missy Graff Ballone
Does this sound familiar to you? Well, I have good news! The goal doesn’t have to be to escape your thoughts! It’s ok if your mind wanders. Do you know why? Because you’re human! You aren’t some supernatural being, and that’s ok. You are a beautiful success just the way you are! If you sit down to meditate and your mind begins to wander, just notice it and return your focus to your breath. Your body will thank you!
Mission
The mission of Wellness for Makers™ is to motivate and empower artists through education, mindful living, and movement. Wellness for Makers™ was created to make self-care, stretching, and massage techniques more accessible to artists everywhere. We strive to make it easy to find good resources, including interviews, articles, videos, and links to valuable organizations.
We believe that by working together as a community, we can create more productive and sustainable studio practices that improve the longevity of our hands and bodies.
Our workshops provide hands-on training in stretching, strengthening, and massage techniques that are easy to incorporate into an artist’s daily studio routine. These techniques are designed to help boost energy levels, alleviate pain, reduce the risk of injury, and improve posture. We collaborate with artists who have professional backgrounds in yoga, ergonomics, massage therapy, occupational therapy, and more, to provide a range of perspectives.
“Your body is a beautiful reflection of your capacity.”
— Omni Kitts Ferrara
“The breath is the foundation of every mindfulness practice. It is a tool that’s always with us, accessible at any time for calm, balance and presence of mind.”
— Ashley Neese
As makers, we spend a lot of time sitting in the studio creating intricate pieces. Our hands are accustomed to working meticulously through repetitive tasks throughout the day. Take a moment to consider which parts of your process are the most repetitive.
Photo by Kylee Graff
It’s no secret that engaging in the same action over and over again makes it more likely that you will develop a repetitive strain injury. The good news is that this outcome is not inevitable. Learning more about your most important tool, your body, can be incredibly empowering. Developing a mindful studio practice will give you the leverage you need to pursue your creative vision on every level.
Wellness for Makers
Mindfulness is the act of noticing and connecting to your physical body. There are many ways you can become more mindful in the studio. How often do you find yourself scrambling to fill an order, finish a piece, complete preparations for a big show, or rework image files to submit to your next call for entry? Do you ever feel like the stress of your creative practice is so overwhelming that it’s hard to stay connected to your body? Has anyone ever told you to, “Just breathe,” or, “Focus on your breath”? Sometimes those phrases can sound so ridiculous because we’re always breathing, right? If we weren’t, we would have much bigger problems! But, it’s important to know that focusing on the sounds, feelings, and movements of your breath can physically calm you down by sending signals to your nervous system. It only takes a few moments, but it goes a long way.
Photo by Monica Zaldivar
Change inevitably affects our bodies. Not all of the things that change are within our control, but the actions you take can positively or negatively influence the changes that happen naturally. If you choose not to evaluate your posture, and you sit hunched-over working on a piece for long periods of time each day, your muscles will adapt to make it easier to hold that position. They will become overstretched in some areas and shortened in others. As a result, your body will physically lay down extra connective tissue where it thinks you no longer need access to a range of motion (if you don’t use it, you lose it). This then changes your body’s mobility and elasticity.
Photo by Monica Zaldivar
Take a moment to check-in with your body. How is your posture? How does your posture affect your breath? What does it feel like to make subtle adjustments? Remember that even little adjustments help your body learn how to create new patterns and build strength in areas that might be lacking. Every single time you make an effort to improve your posture, you’re re-training your muscles to learn to sustain that structure.
I am inviting you to learn how to connect to your body, not escape it. Why? Resilience is your capacity to recover from difficulties. Becoming more connected to your body isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about gaining a stronger perspective and being mindful of the relationship between your studio practices and your body, which means noticing how you feel.
Have you ever tried to meditate? Meditating can seem intimidating to a lot of people, but there are many credible studies that have shown mindfulness meditation can positively impact mental and physical health. Having a consistent practice can help to improve your focus while you’re working on what you love to work on most. So why not give it a try? I often hear students say things like, “I don’t know how to meditate,” or, “I’m so bad at meditating because I can’t stop my thoughts from wandering”.
Photo by Missy Graff Ballone
Does this sound familiar to you? Well, I have good news! The goal doesn’t have to be to escape your thoughts! It’s ok if your mind wanders. Do you know why? Because you’re human! You aren’t some supernatural being, and that’s ok. You are a beautiful success just the way you are! If you sit down to meditate and your mind begins to wander, just notice it and return your focus to your breath. Your body will thank you!
Mission
The mission of Wellness for Makers™ is to motivate and empower artists through education, mindful living, and movement. Wellness for Makers™ was created to make self-care, stretching, and massage techniques more accessible to artists everywhere. We strive to make it easy to find good resources, including interviews, articles, videos, and links to valuable organizations.
We believe that by working together as a community, we can create more productive and sustainable studio practices that improve the longevity of our hands and bodies.
Our workshops provide hands-on training in stretching, strengthening, and massage techniques that are easy to incorporate into an artist’s daily studio routine. These techniques are designed to help boost energy levels, alleviate pain, reduce the risk of injury, and improve posture. We collaborate with artists who have professional backgrounds in yoga, ergonomics, massage therapy, occupational therapy, and more, to provide a range of perspectives.
“Your body is a beautiful reflection of your capacity.”
— Omni Kitts Ferrara
Related Stories
“The breath is the foundation of every mindfulness practice. It is a tool that’s always with us, accessible at any time for calm, balance and presence of mind.”
— Ashley Neese
As makers, we spend a lot of time sitting in the studio creating intricate pieces. Our hands are accustomed to working meticulously through repetitive tasks throughout the day. Take a moment to consider which parts of your process are the most repetitive.
Photo by Kylee Graff
It’s no secret that engaging in the same action over and over again makes it more likely that you will develop a repetitive strain injury. The good news is that this outcome is not inevitable. Learning more about your most important tool, your body, can be incredibly empowering. Developing a mindful studio practice will give you the leverage you need to pursue your creative vision on every level.
Wellness for Makers
Mindfulness is the act of noticing and connecting to your physical body. There are many ways you can become more mindful in the studio. How often do you find yourself scrambling to fill an order, finish a piece, complete preparations for a big show, or rework image files to submit to your next call for entry? Do you ever feel like the stress of your creative practice is so overwhelming that it’s hard to stay connected to your body? Has anyone ever told you to, “Just breathe,” or, “Focus on your breath”? Sometimes those phrases can sound so ridiculous because we’re always breathing, right? If we weren’t, we would have much bigger problems! But, it’s important to know that focusing on the sounds, feelings, and movements of your breath can physically calm you down by sending signals to your nervous system. It only takes a few moments, but it goes a long way.
Photo by Monica Zaldivar
Change inevitably affects our bodies. Not all of the things that change are within our control, but the actions you take can positively or negatively influence the changes that happen naturally. If you choose not to evaluate your posture, and you sit hunched-over working on a piece for long periods of time each day, your muscles will adapt to make it easier to hold that position. They will become overstretched in some areas and shortened in others. As a result, your body will physically lay down extra connective tissue where it thinks you no longer need access to a range of motion (if you don’t use it, you lose it). This then changes your body’s mobility and elasticity.
Photo by Monica Zaldivar
Take a moment to check-in with your body. How is your posture? How does your posture affect your breath? What does it feel like to make subtle adjustments? Remember that even little adjustments help your body learn how to create new patterns and build strength in areas that might be lacking. Every single time you make an effort to improve your posture, you’re re-training your muscles to learn to sustain that structure.
I am inviting you to learn how to connect to your body, not escape it. Why? Resilience is your capacity to recover from difficulties. Becoming more connected to your body isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about gaining a stronger perspective and being mindful of the relationship between your studio practices and your body, which means noticing how you feel.
Have you ever tried to meditate? Meditating can seem intimidating to a lot of people, but there are many credible studies that have shown mindfulness meditation can positively impact mental and physical health. Having a consistent practice can help to improve your focus while you’re working on what you love to work on most. So why not give it a try? I often hear students say things like, “I don’t know how to meditate,” or, “I’m so bad at meditating because I can’t stop my thoughts from wandering”.
Photo by Missy Graff Ballone
Does this sound familiar to you? Well, I have good news! The goal doesn’t have to be to escape your thoughts! It’s ok if your mind wanders. Do you know why? Because you’re human! You aren’t some supernatural being, and that’s ok. You are a beautiful success just the way you are! If you sit down to meditate and your mind begins to wander, just notice it and return your focus to your breath. Your body will thank you!
Mission
The mission of Wellness for Makers™ is to motivate and empower artists through education, mindful living, and movement. Wellness for Makers™ was created to make self-care, stretching, and massage techniques more accessible to artists everywhere. We strive to make it easy to find good resources, including interviews, articles, videos, and links to valuable organizations.
We believe that by working together as a community, we can create more productive and sustainable studio practices that improve the longevity of our hands and bodies.
Our workshops provide hands-on training in stretching, strengthening, and massage techniques that are easy to incorporate into an artist’s daily studio routine. These techniques are designed to help boost energy levels, alleviate pain, reduce the risk of injury, and improve posture. We collaborate with artists who have professional backgrounds in yoga, ergonomics, massage therapy, occupational therapy, and more, to provide a range of perspectives.
“Your body is a beautiful reflection of your capacity.”
— Omni Kitts Ferrara
The Women Create Foundation is a catalyst for small but significant strides to empower women creators through grants that help bring projects to life and foster innovation.
