Alastair Creative

CULTIVATING A CAREER IN THE ARTS AFTER 10 YEARS HEALTHCARE, AND LEARNING TO TRUST THE MOMENT.

I first had the thought of putting myself out there as an artist in 2020. At the time I was five years into my nursing career and found myself in a conflicting place of despair, helplessness, and, perhaps worst of all, regret. I don’t say this for dramatic effect. I say it because it was real, and it was hard.

I have always loved the arts and imagined a life in that world, yet I had chosen a conservative path. Nursing gave me stability, but I struggled to see myself in it. I kept switching roles within healthcare, hoping a change would fill the void, and it never did. I realised I had silenced something essential in me, and that voice was asking to be heard.

I returned to university to study a dual degree in Fine Arts and Arts, majoring in Philosophy with a minor in Spanish. In hindsight, perhaps it was not fully thought through, but the point was not the qualification. It was about giving myself permission to study what I wanted.

After a year and a half I moved from Sydney back to the Sunshine Coast. I did not complete the program, yet the experience was invaluable. It taught me how to think like an artist. It pushed me to question what art is. To recognise that creativity is intrinsic, to realise that I didn’t have to meet others’ idea of what art should be, or what I should be. My role is to present my truth as an artist and invite the viewer to meet it.

That shift changed everything. In nursing, the focus is primarily centred around another, and so it should. Art inversely asked me to turn inward, to care for and explore a deeper part of myself. I began making work that felt fully mine, work that held who I am and what I feel. Paradoxically, this helped me reconcile with my choice to become a nurse. The resentment eased. I could see how nursing had shaped me, challenged me, and revealed parts of life most people never encounter. Those experiences now feed both my nursing and creative practice. I feel genuine gratitude and pride in being a nurse. It remains one of the best decisions of my life, and its security and flexibility now help me pursue my art alongside it.

In June this year I completed a Certificate III in Visual Arts through TAFE. An earlier version of me would not have considered TAFE. I had a rigid belief that further study had to be at a university. Let it be noted that letting go of ego opens doors. I applied when I saw it offered as a fee-free program, and it turned out to be exactly what I needed. The course was accessible and energising. It kick-started my inspiration and reassured me that I am on the right path. I cannot speak highly enough of the teaching and support. If you are considering a first step into the arts, or into any field without committing to a full university degree, consider TAFE.

Right now art is a major focus in my life. I split my time between my home studio, the pottery studio, and making work on location, while I continue to work as a registered nurse in the emergency department. I am drawn to many mediums and I plan for it stays that way. Lately I have been working with paints, drawing, pastels, and charcoal, and I have fallen in love with printmaking and ceramics. I am always looking for new ways to diversify my practice and introduce new methods.

Vulnerability is a constant companion. Art is personal, and sharing it can feel daunting. On social media we often choose to show our successes and we have the tools to present idealised highlights. That is not a bad thing. Social platforms are rich with ideas and inspiration. Yet I sometimes feel intimidated by the sheer number of extraordinary artists online. The benchmark can seem unattainable and impostor syndrome can set in. Most of us know these feeds are curated, and yet they can still have a sizeable effect on us. I am learning to examine my relationship with these platforms, to avoid getting caught up in producing the most aesthetically perfect content, and to resist comparing myself to others.

After all these earlier experiences, I now feel like I am entering a genuine flow. I am creating consistently, building momentum in my studio work, and slowly growing my online platforms and store. This is a new field for me, and it still feels like uncharted territory at times, but I am finally moving with it rather than waiting for perfect conditions. There is never a perfect time. Sometimes you set aside the idea of perfection and trust the moment in front of you.

This blog is part of that movement. I intend to use it not only to share my current and upcoming projects, but also to write about my experiences as I establish myself more fully in the creative domain. At the same time, I want it to hold the more personal aspects of the journey: the reflections, challenges, and small moments that shape the process.

It is, in many ways, a journal. Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way champions regular journaling as a form of catharsis, and I believe in that wholeheartedly. Reflection does not live only in memory. Writing it down matters. I have also started recording a podcast with the same intent – to document the process, share ideas, and hopefully connect with others who resonate with the same questions and struggles. If you have not tried journaling, I recommend it. And if you have not read The Artist’s Way, it is worth your time.

Recently I found a self-portrait I painted in 2011. I decided to recreate it. The process took me back to the person I was then and the feelings that guided the original. I can see how far I have come, not only in technique but as a person, and I think the 2011 version of me would be glad to see where I am now.