When We Make, We Mend

What Happens When We Create Instead of Collapse

Last week, we talked about art as resistance in its quiet, powerful refusal to look away. This week, let’s explore how it also heals. Art, be it books, busts or bass lines, doesn’t only resist. It heals. It lifts. It restores what the world tries so hard to fracture, even when what is fracturing is ourselves.

Years ago I was a survivor of domestic abuse, but I almost didn’t make it to the survivor part. Early on in my healing journey I became overwhelmed and decided I’d had enough. I sat down to write my goodbyes. I was in a dark place, and the letter evolved into a story full of self-loathing and pity. It was so full of loathing, it turned into a dark comedy.

After writing it, I had lost the urge to leave this world. Putting it down on paper was a cathartic release and I could step forward to heal. I sold the story a few weeks later which really boosted my sense of self worth. Writing it all down was my first step toward healing.

This week, I kept thinking about how art heals. Many of you reading this probably understand this too well. Once we heal ourselves, we are empowered to turn that outwards and heal others. That is art in its highest form.

When we make, we also mend.

Keep it Simple

Making something powerful doesn’t require great complication. Over-complication is a form of procrastination, and one of those Imposter Shadow stumbling blocks. The truth is, we only get good by stepping out of our comfort zone and putting something new into the world. When we take the risk, there will be reward, even if it’s just our own growth as human artists.

I think of a child playing with mud. Their creations are here today and gone in a heartbeat, but imagine a child that sticks with their mud craft? After a few years their mud upgrades to clay. A few more years and they will be in their element as potters, sculptors or maybe something even more amazing.

Bigger isn’t better. One of the most powerful stories, often misattributed to Ernest Hemingway, contains only six words: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Having an impact doesn’t require you to use all the words, just the right ones.

The same goes for any medium. Kazimir Malevich’s painting Black Square exploded the boundaries of representation and helped birth abstract modernism with a simple black square on white. Philip Glass comes to mind for music. Einstein on the Beach is hypnotic with minimal phrasing and tiny shifts, and yet the piece can be emotionally overwhelming.

Make Something Anyway

Today, push yourself to make something. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering. It doesn’t have to be huge. By making something, you resist apathy. The powers that be don’t want you empowering yourself and others because when we are making, we aren’t doomscrolling. When aren’t doomscrolling, we might stop feeding the algorithm. We might walk away from our digital serfdom to create our own kingdom. And all we need is to escape is to make something anyway.

Join the Maker’s Challenge

Let’s do this together! A 30-day creative challenge for the month of November 2025. Each square invites you to make something, or help someone else make something, from sidewalk chalk art to writing your own maker manifesto. Here are 30 ways we can encourage art, not arson. I’m going to share what I’ve been doing in my Notes this week.

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