Artist’s Dates: My Way of Saying Yes to Curiosity
Still going on Artist’s Dates, even after finishing The Artist’s Way. Every little adventure sparks joy, wonder, and creative energy.
Doing the Work Is Everything
In yesterday’s post, I wrote about how The Artist’s Way completely changed my creative life. But to really feel the impact of the book, it’s essential to actually do the exercises and weekly assignments it asks of you—especially two core practices: the Morning Pages, which you write every morning, and the Artist’s Date, which you do once a week.
Today, I want to talk about the Artist’s Date.
What’s an Artist’s Date?
An Artist’s Date is a dedicated time to take your inner artist somewhere they want to go—or let them do something they’re curious about.
As adults, we often dismiss spontaneous ideas as silly, or feel the need to justify or analyze them before taking action. But Artist’s Dates are a way to practice saying yes to those quiet creative impulses without judgment.
The activity doesn’t have to be anything grand. For example, if you suddenly feel like doing origami, go buy some at the local stationery store.
Some of My Favorite Dates
I’ve had dates like visiting jellyfish at the Shedd Aquarium because I love jellyfish, eating a crepe at a neighborhood cafe, or browsing collectible toys at a store called Rotofugi.
At the end of the 12-week program, I even treated myself to a bonus Artist’s Date—a 4-day solo trip to New York. My artist hero Tara Booth happened to be speaking and signing books at the Brooklyn Book Festival, so I went.
And guess what? I ran into her by the bathroom and got to have a little conversation. I couldn’t believe my luck!
Still Dating, Even After the Program
Here’s what I really want to emphasize: Even though I’ve finished The Artist’s Way, I still go on Artist’s Dates.
This week, I visited the Harold Washington Library Center in downtown Chicago. I felt like flipping through some art and illustration books, and I also wanted to get my library card.
From the outside, the building is enormous and majestic. When I first moved to Chicago, I didn’t even know what it was—but its size and design totally amazed me.
This time, I didn’t come across any books that really clicked with me, but the 9th-floor Winter Garden happened to be open—and it was absolutely stunning. I had seen photos before, but in person it felt so open and bright, almost like a secret floating garden.
Exploring My City, Feeding My Soul
Since Chicago is still a new city for me, I feel like I’m discovering it through these Artist’s Dates.
Each little adventure brings fresh inspiration and reminds me how rich this city is in culture and beauty. Artist’s Dates are helping me fall deeper in love with where I live—and more importantly, they’re helping me fall in love with how I create.
Saying yes to small sparks of curiosity has become a habit, and it’s made my days more fun, more open, and more full of creative seeds waiting to bloom.