The past week’s experience has really caused me to think. I am well into a painting project, and quite pleased with the way it is going. At there same time there have been concerns and pressures of one kind or another, including over my health. Until I managed to begin painting again I was really not in a very happy place, although objectively speaking I don’t suppose that my circumstances were under threat in any significant way. My general wellbeing does appear to depend very significantly and directly upon whether or not I am actually working. If that is going well then even if there are problems which might be thought to be significant in other areas of life, then I am happy and stable.
I would be very interested to hear from other people involved in art as to whether their experience is similar, and the general tenor of their mental life is shaped above all by their artistic activity.