Artists Block

We all know what it is like to have trouble getting motivated. It is easier to go get something from the fridge, watch a movie or clean house. They can be beneficial and are often even necessary, but when we divert our creativity too much to these types of activities, we can dilute our creative energy. This can stop the energy from building up in us to the point where we simply "must" paint. I love it when I am on one of those creative rolls where I just can't stop painting, time slips by and I am letting one painting inform another. I wrestle with artist block in one form or another every day. Sometimes cleaning house can help me, by making me feel active and productive, but ultimately it must translate into activity and time spent in the studio and wet paint to get a painting started. Starting is the hard part. I don't always have clarity or energy when I go into the studio. I find (like exercise!) when I just show up and start puttering around in my "sanctuary" I start to feel the muse emerge. She begins to manifest in my thoughts, and seduces me into believing that if I start this or that I will be a great artist and everyone will love me! While that might be comical and an overstatement, it is more or less true. First I have to get myself "set up for success", all the tools positioned and appropriated, a canvas primed and in place. I also like to get other stretched canvases ready to go ( I prefer to create a "body" of work, and this psychological trick can show yourself you mean business, it says to your subconscious ..."when" I get fired up not ..."if" I get fired up. That assumptive position harnesses the power of your mind and ultimately your body.It is also important to ask yourself quality questions . Here's a few:

• 1."what can I do to set myself up for a fun painting experience,"
• 2."what new technique can I approach this medium with or subject that I haven't tried before to make this more rewarding,"
• 3. "how fast  can I paint this subject so that I only capture the essentials of energy and light, so that my viewing experience is enhanced".

Try some others by writing them down for clarity of purpose though unfortunately few do this (many are called but few are chosen). Writing it down works, sketching rough thumbnails helps, and having a sketchbook at the ready helps that!  Anyway you get the idea.
I find a bit of regular art related periodicals or books throw fuel on your fire. Start your creativity off with good mental attitude with mind food so that your vision will be sharpened, your mood enhanced and your chances of success increased.
When I finally get excited, the spark sets a glow at first, then as I get clarity and focus (we are all a bit ADD these days with modern distractions!) and I know what I am doing a bit better, one sketch piece informs another ( I often paint 4-10 pieces at a time) . That's when a firestorm of creative ideas can build excitement and sustain you through a body of work and a narrative that maintains your curiosity and interest for some time.
What I look for in painting, is a subject that I can explore, that widens my visionary skills while challenging me technically in order to bring fresh techniques, and ultimately fresh impetus to my work overall.  The subject is less important than the "feeling" for your subject.  Your goal should be to translate the feeling into the paint strokes through skill and honesty (not doing it just for the money), and the passion will become obvious in the work one stroke at a time.
I am presenting here a selection of paintings done within a three day period as I prepared for a Jacksonville Watercolor Society demo at the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach Florida.  You can explore how one piece informed another.  This process of self discovery opened up a whole new area of interest and technical discovery for me.

     

The last, and a breakthrough for me!