A while back I was becoming increasingly uneasy with how much time I was spending looking at screens: at work, at home, on the subway, everywhere. I felt compelled to do something with my hands again, return to creating art with pencils, paint, and paper, enjoy the smell and feel of tangible materials again.

So I bought a scale model airplane kit. Just like when I was a kid. Honestly I expected noodling around on this nostalgic adventure wouldn’t last more than a few hours but I was hooked. I actually loved it.

The simple joy of making things with traditional tools and techniques is rewarding and life affirming, relaxing and fun. Along the way l also learn a lot researching these aircraft, their place in aviation history, and their pilots. Rather than emulating the pristine restorations found in museums I build and paint them the way they actually appeared in service. Every scratch, stain, smudge and oil leak tells the story of the plane, its design, its purpose and it’s era.

It’s a crazy little hobby but therapeutic in a way. The hands-on process is an interesting compliment to my digital work. Each enriches the other. And it reminds me that evolution and exploration in our creative endeavors can be a life long process and so much fun.