Sign in
The Hobby Issue’s Letter from the Publisher
Last year, when deciding on Madeworthy’s 2026 themes, the idea of hobbies came up. We thought it was the perfect summer reading subject, since traditionally, summertime is when we take time to slow down. We take time to spend the long days with our family, and squeeze in some trips near and far. We do not begrudge those who choose to relax, unwind, and reset by doing absolutely nothing, but for those of us who find peace in the “doing” of things, a new hobby might do the trick.
If you know me, you know I fill my time from morning to night doing something. Once I complete my work tasks, home tasks, attend to family needs, and walk the dogs, I reward myself with time to unwind with my hobbies. I may or may not be quite embarrassed if you saw the amount of arts-and-crafts supplies I have amassed, but my favorites to date are watercolor, soft pastels, ceramics, and making beaded jewelry.
Photo courtesy of Victoria Wise
My go-to hobby is watercolor, since starting and completing a painting in under 30 minutes is possible thanks to the medium’s quick-drying nature and the small paper size I chose. When I know I have two to three hours to get lost in a medium, I choose ceramics, but here’s what no one tells you: you need two to three days to babysit the items you have just made while they dry to leather hard before you can handle them and begin fine-tuning your pieces. Then there is firing, glazing, and firing again. It’s massively labor-intensive, but it also allows you to be one with an earthy substance. It’s the most gratifying art form where you can mold something with your own hands and use fire to make a usable item. My mother-in-law, who holds a master’s degree in ceramics, describes clay as “seductive.” It’s a perfect description, so prepare yourself to get lost for days, years, even, in this hobby.
Photo courtesy of Victoria Wise
My newest purchase, made this week, is gouache designer paints. Some say gouache is the love child of watercolors and acrylics. I’m excited to learn more about the medium and see if I can produce art that I am proud to display. The cost is relatively inexpensive, and here’s a pro tip for those of you on a budget: search for artists’ tutorials on Instagram, YouTube, and Patreon. You will find the look or style you like best, and you can begin following them or subscribing to their channels to learn how to paint. This is exactly how I learned to paint in soft pastels. I found Valerie McKeehan on Instagram and then joined her affordable monthly sessions to learn more. I have sold many pastel paintings that have more than covered the cost of lessons and supplies, and I have found a medium I am passionate about.
(Please do not feel you need to sell an item for a hobby to be valuable. I have four kids, and for me, my hobbies help pay for the extras, and now for college expenses.)
In the pages of this issue, you are going to learn about some very interesting hobbies you can explore. From basket weaving to needlepoint, urban gardening to mahjong, and if those don’t flip your skirt, you’ll read about calligraphy and a special local art influencer who holds creative sessions at local businesses, and the community their arts build.
Community built around a shared hobby is, shall I say, sublime. Most artists or makers work alone, and some very much enjoy doing that. I was always jealous of my mom’s art center in Norman, Oklahoma, the Firehouse Art Center, where you could join as a member and take classes in all sorts of art forms. Creatives share a space, each with their own projects, working alongside each other. Why doesn’t Fort Worth have a space like this?
Photo courtesy of Victoria Wise
Our editor has prepared a spread on Page 13 where you can find outlets for your specific hobby of interest, and on Page 14 are locals who have found a hobby that gives them life. In the digital age, with AI creeping into all aspects of our lives and information coming at us at the speed of light, there is a need for hand-created arts and crafts or pastimes like sailing, fishing, running, reading, cooking, and drink mixing to allow ourselves to slow down and find our humanity. Let us know what hobby made this summer more fulfilling for you. We want to hear about it!
