Creative Block
My article last week about creative block must have hit a chord. I received such wonderful communications from many of you, not the least of which was my mother calling to see if I was okay… : )
I’ve received permission to share some of your strategies for getting out of your blocked space. As Mary Lou Harris Arnold says, “I think there are a lot of us in the same boat, so why not turn it into a cruise ship?” Mary Lou continued by saying her muse is MIA but “…I finally decided to just go back to the basics - I started playing with my paints, creating a new color chart, trying different new mixes, anything to just keep my brushes wet with rich juicy pigments. (Musicians practice their scales, golfers practice their swings, etc.) I painted a simple pear, and I liked it! I painted a rose, but with outrageous color, and it was FUN! I ordered some dazzling new tubes of paint to entice my muse, and I think she may be flirting with me now.”
Rosemary Ayala wrote with 10 suggestions to overcome burnout, which she defines as: “Burn out occurs when someone begins to stagnate in the daily routine.” Here are some suggestions for getting that fire back:
1. Paint something you have never painted before.
2. Use a brush in a very unfamiliar size, either much bigger or much smaller then your normal choice.
3. Teach a child to paint.
4. Paint something in your favorite color regardless of the color it is “supposed” to be.
5. Put on music and paint to the rhythm of the beat. Now, keep up with it!
6. Put some meaningful words on little pieces of paper. Draw one out of the hat and paint something that expresses that word.
7. Paint a painting for the local shelter or clinic. Keep in mind who your audience will be.
8. Call a friend and laugh out loud.
9. Go see that someone special and get a big hug.
10. Say thank you because you know the next sunrise will be so awe inspiring you will just HAVE to paint it.”
In addition, one of my all time favorite people, artist Mark Mehaffey wrote: “Being “creative” is a BIG weight to carry. I don’t even think about it…”IT” comes naturally IF we can just find the time to do lots of work. For me anyway, one painting always leads to a bunch of ideas about the NEXT painting…which I go right to until a tangent (creative thinking) enters my mind. I ALLOW myself the TIME to explore my sometimes weird ‘tangents” Some of these have gone on for years.” Mark has been exploring acrylics and his newest paintings have been added to his CCP gallery.
Thank you so much to everyone. Again, I truly think artists are the nicest people!