Navigating Chronic Illness as an Artist: How I'm Adapting My Business While Healing

Today’s post is a little different—part update, part real-time reflection on navigating chronic illness while trying to keep a creative business afloat. If you’ve been following along with my previous episodes, you may have noticed it’s been a while since I last posted. I was on a fairly steady schedule, releasing new episodes every two to three weeks, but this gap has been longer. And the reason is simple: I’ve been unwell.

Recently, I started experiencing a rapid onset of symptoms that have significantly affected my mobility and overall health. I’m not going to dive deep into the details, but the short version is that I’m in a lot of pain and struggling to manage even the simplest everyday tasks—washing dishes, holding my phone, even just typing can be too much for my body right now.

I don’t have a diagnosis yet, just some educated guesses, and I’m currently waiting for more answers. In the meantime, my business is in a sort of limbo. I can't operate at my usual speed or do many of the things I used to do. Ironically, my last episode was all about handling your business during an emergency—and now, here I am living it.

So today, I want to expand on that topic by sharing exactly what I’m doing, in real time, to adapt my art business during this period of chronic pain and reduced mobility.

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Slowing Down and Shifting Gears

I’m currently operating at about 20% capacity, which has been a tough mental adjustment. I’m usually someone who has tons of energy. But now, I can’t do much with my hands—something most artists rely on heavily. It’s been a real challenge, both physically and emotionally.

My number one priority right now is to rest and heal. Even though that’s not what I want to do (I'd rather be working on all the exciting plans I had for this year), I know it’s necessary. A quote I recently read in a book by Rebecca Yarros has been playing on repeat in my mind:

“If you don’t take the time to let your body heal, time will take it from you.”

So this season is about stillness, not growth. And that has made me appreciate the beauty of feeling normal—of being able to act on inspiration when it strikes. Right now, I’m full of ideas but unable to bring most of them to life. That’s tough. But I’m figuring out how to channel that energy in new ways.

Repurposing My Art

Because I can’t create new artwork like I normally would, I’m focusing on something that’s always been part of my business—but now it's front and center: repurposing my existing artwork.

I’ve been going through my archives, revisiting past creations to see what can be given new life. This includes turning past pieces into prints, new products, or licensing them out. I’ve even submitted collections to some of my gallery and retail partners.

I currently work with about four gallery partners who sell my work to their customers and clients. These relationships are invaluable right now because they take the burden of direct selling and marketing off my shoulders. I simply provide the artwork; they do the rest. I talk more about this in my guide, Passive Revenue Streams for Artists. The income contributes to my overall revenue —and every bit helps when you’re in recovery mode. 

If you’re wondering whether older work is still “good enough,” let me assure you: it is! Many of the pieces I’m submitting are several years old—some have never even been shown before. Just because something feels “old” to us doesn’t mean it will feel that way to someone seeing it for the first time. Your past work still holds value.

Creating Products with Print-on-Demand

While browsing my archives, I found some older animal and floral motifs that were really popular years ago. I had taken them down, thinking they’d had their time—but now felt like the perfect opportunity to bring them back in a new way.

Inspired by a previous collaboration I did with a mug company, I decided to turn these old designs into a line of mugs using Printful, a print-on-demand service. I love using Printful because it integrates seamlessly with Shopify, provides beautiful product mockups, and doesn’t require me to handle production, packaging, or shipping. Right now, that kind of support is exactly what I need.

The setup took me about a week (working in short 1-hour bursts due to pain), but the result is a brand-new, low-cost product line that I can promote via email, Instagram, and Pinterest—without needing to create anything new from scratch.

Slow-Releasing Unused Art

Last year, I submitted a collection to one of my partners, and not all the pieces were chosen. Instead of letting those artworks sit unseen, I’m planning a slow release on my website. I’ll post one piece every few weeks, which gives me steady content to share with my audience over the next few months.

Again, this gives me a cushion—a way to stay present in my business without pushing myself beyond what’s physically manageable.

Staying Mindful of Cash Flow

The last thing I want to touch on is money. Even though much of what I do now is passive—licensing, automated sales, etc.—I'm still being extra mindful of my cash flow. I’m tracking what’s coming in and going out more closely than ever, knowing that reduced activity now may impact my income in the future. It’s always wise to understand your financial landscape, but especially so during a period of uncertainty.

Final Thoughts + Takeaways

If you’re an artist going through a rough patch—whether it’s due to illness, a major life event, or just burnout—here are a few things I’ve learned:

Listen to your body. Be honest about what you can and can’t do right now.

Adjust your expectations. Determine how this impacts your capacity to create or manage your business.

Be resourceful. Repurpose older work, reach out to existing contacts, and explore new ways to use what you already have.

Keep it simple. Focus on low-effort, high-impact tasks. Cut out the unnecessary.

Mind your money. Pay attention to your income and expenses, and adapt as needed.

While this isn’t the year I envisioned, I feel okay about where things are headed. By focusing on what I can do, instead of what I can’t, I’m still able to move forward—just more slowly. And who knows? Maybe the piece I’ve had sitting in a dusty digital folder for years is exactly what someone out there has been waiting for.

Thank you for reading, and I hope this post was helpful to you. If you’d like to keep following along, consider subscribing to the podcast. I hope to be back with another update soon—though I can’t promise exactly when. For now, I’m resting, healing, and trusting in the slow, quiet magic of this season.