“I’m Younger Than That Now”
This is the first blog post on this website. A website designed to show off my illustration and design work.
I thought I would never have a website like this again because I thought that art, graphic design, and illustration were all elements of a past long behind me.
Both of my parents died around the time I was finally graduating from college with an art degree. I feel like I still haven’t properly processed the death of my parents. A lot of emotions were triggered from their deaths but one of those emotions are really thoughts was this idea of having to “grow up”.
As a result, I started focusing on becoming a UX designer, and in turn, I started to discard the “art side” of my career.
I am lucky to have a job in UX. I enjoy my UX work.
Recently mental health has been a struggle for me, my anxiety and depression had been wildly out of control. They both were negatively affecting my marriage, my friendships, and my physical health.
I knew I had to do something, I had to have several emergency therapy sessions. I started taking medication, journaling, reading more, and meditating. There have been two things above all else that have felt like life savers for me these last few months:
Finding peace and passion in nature and being outside: Finding time to hike, walk, and simply just be outside with nature has been a life changer.
Creating art again. Creating illustrations. Creating graphic design pieces. Opening up adobe software like I used to in school and just “making stuff.”
I feel like Art + Nature has literally saved my life therefore most of the work is about combining the two in some way. I like building trees, flowers, mountains, etc. in illustrator because those are things that make me happy and boost my mental health, so these are the things you’ll see in most of my art and illustration work.
I’d be lying to you if I said I am not hoping that my new work makes other people happy. I want my work to inspire others. I want my work to be used by some of my favorite nature /outdoors-focused companies and organizations. But if it none of that happens that’s okay too. The work I’ve started to create in my new journey is for my mental health and it makes me happy.
Also, my wife and in-laws have been loving my new work so that’s just a nice added bonus!
I just turned 39 a few days before writing this first post. One of my favorite Bob Dylan lines ( I have a lot of them) is: “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.” I feel this makes a lot of sense for me right now. I felt really old these last couple of years but I feel younger today. Being outside and making things has been the reason why I feel this way.
I’m excited about what happens next. I think it will be scary sometimes, there will be setbacks. I think there will also be some really awesome and magical moments as well. With that in mind, I hope you continue to follow me on this site and on social media as I go through this new creative journey.
Cheers,
Zach
