Moving Through Creation: Where Running Meets Art
Movement is my second medium. Long before I touch a canvas each day, you'll find me on coastal paths or hidden trails, letting my feet find their rhythm against the earth. Not because I'm training for anything specific – I run because it unlocks something essential in my creative practice.
I discovered this connection during one of the most challenging periods of my art career. When a painting felt impossible, when I couldn't see how the pieces would come together, I'd lace up my shoes and head out. Something about the repetitive motion, the sweat, the effort of pushing past discomfort – it cleared away the noise. Solutions that eluded me in the studio would suddenly become clear around mile three.
The parallels between running and painting revealed themselves over time. Both require showing up when it's difficult. Both demand knowing when to push through resistance and when to ease back. Whether I'm facing a towering canvas or a steep trail, the challenge is often more mental than physical.
This marriage of movement and art-making has transformed my practice. The same grit that gets me through a challenging run sustains me through intensive studio sessions with large-scale pieces. There's a certain alchemy in using your whole body to create – letting physical effort strip away doubt until only pure creative energy remains.
“In a way, I believe running is how I paint when I’m not painting, and by using my entire body, to move past muscle tension, exhaustion and strain, I have been able to teach my hands and my mind, a new tolerance for the discomfort of challenges, and dare I say, increase my level of grit”
Article Grit, Issue 32
