My art is like working out to me.
It's very much like going to the gym or jogging. It's not exactly relaxing, but I find it very rewarding. I don't always enjoy doing it in the moment, but I love the results.
It's something I look forward to, and look back on, more fondly than when I'm actually doing it.
That's not the answer most artists/non-artists like hearing. Art isn't like this salve for my soul or something I find zen and peace in. It's work. Hard work. often unappreciated and undervalued work. It's hard and stressful. It can be embarrassing or infuriating too especially when results aren't as good as my ambitions.
Also like working out, I find I definitely improve with effort and hours spent doing it. I also find my abilities lessen when I don't do art.
It's something I wish I enjoyed as much as the CONCEPT of enjoying it. But I'm always glad I do it, and there are times where it's super rewarding for myself and I look back on my progress and I'm proud.
So yeah. Art is the gym for my mind and creativity, for better or worse.