Hey, you might not know me but I’m Lucy Kenyon, a strategist and creative copywriter here at Notepad!
As a naturally creative girly, maintaining my mental well-being has always been a top priority. Mindfulness and traditional relaxation techniques never quite worked for me; I’m not a meditation or yoga kind of girl. Instead, I find that staying active and finding different hobbies is my preferred method for staying mentally fit. Being in the creative industry, it has made me look for different ways to extend my creativity beyond the confines of the office and has been crucial to my strategic work. “Eureka” moments just don’t happen when I’m sitting behind my desk.
My solution? Painting! Painting is my own form of meditation – so if meditation isn’t your thing either, I encourage you to give it a try! It takes my mind away from my busy life and gives me the freedom to create whatever I feel like. Helping me focus my mind on the present and the artwork in front of me.
For me, my love for painting began when I was around 7 years old. Where I’d sit with my grandma in her sunroom and I’d watch her paint. I have always been creative, but it wasn’t until A levels, where I studied fine art that I found my artistic niche, abstract landscape paintings! I’d work on huge canvases, using pallet knives, ink splatters, thickening acrylic paint with Polyfilla and adding textures with things like tissue paper and bubble wrap.
Recently I’ve noticed that my days start and end with devices, which I know isn’t healthy. Painting brings me so much joy and a much-needed break from screens. It has helped me understand how my mind works, and it has naturally infused creative thinking into my strategy decks, copywriting and presentations. It’s like an all-brain exercise, strengthening my mind and triggering dopamine.
So spending time indulging in my creative spirit is basically aerobics for my brain and I love it! A place where I can explore creativity without using words. I’m a strategist by day, and the world of words, tone of voice, research, analytics and strategic thinking – are my bread and butter. But painting is all about colours, textures, composition and freedom. The journey from my strategic decks to the canvas has taught me the hidden connection between structured thinking and abstract art. It’s my way of shutting off and allowing my paintbrush to guide me.
So, how do you spend your after-hours?
