I can’t deny it anymore: my creative well is not empty but inspiration has not been my best friend lately…
I guess we all experience the «creative funk» once in a while. I want to create but nothing comes as I want it to. Or I simply stare at my surface and don’t know anymore what to do.
Being an intuitive artist, my sketches never end up as they are once I decide to make a painting out of it. Planning a painting is really not my thing (it used to, though, when I started my mixed media journey in 2008). Do you, too, sometimes wish that your process is different than what it is ? I surely do, and sometimes try to change it up. Sometimes it works, but most of my attempts finish as big failure. I can’t help but go with the flow once I start.
So what do I do ? I stop comparing my path with my fellow artist friends’. I decided to take the advice «change up the medium you use and see what happens» and started a clay figurine (thanks to Mystele’s lesson in our Soul Food Class) that I still have to finish. I play more in my art journal. I stop having expectations about what I should and should not create. It’s okay to use art to process negative feelings, it does not have to be colorful and bubbly all the time. I create projects following classes I love (I highly recommend Mindy Lacefield’s and Micki Wilde’s)
I decided to tackle my fear and I am starting again a project I had almost finished last year. But… it did not feel right so I am starting over, which feels amazing. And it changes my process a bit as I start each painting with an intention in mind, a theme, and then I surrender to whatever decides to come on the canvas.
I sketch. I practice my faces a lot lot lot. I am finally at a place where I am comfortable with how I do them and what they convey. This was part of my biggest struggle last year.
Right now, I won’t lie to you, I am torn. I know I have to continue painting and exploring and sharing. I just can’t stop. I am not a quitter. I don’t know which way to go in my creative career. I wanna touch more people. My shop is not doing well.
Here are a few lessons learned from periods of creative funk:
- When something is not working, shift your focus onto something else
- Creativity has many many faces
- It’s okay to have a change in the dreams I want to work on.
- Marketing can be heartful and spiritual. I have to figure it out. And make it work for me.
- Create something everyday, it does not have to be a finished piece. Keep your hands moving.
- Beating myself up does no good.
- Looking for inspiration can result in an inspiration overload, so be careful with that.
What do you do when you feel like nothing you create is good and inspiration seems to have gone on vacay without you ? Would love to know how you deal with it 🙂
I loved your lessons and will be sure to remember them when I’m feeling like I’m in a funk too.
Whenever my creative well dries up and I start being frustrated with what I create or with the lack of creation I love doing one of the Life Book lessons. It’s great to just ‘switch off’ and kind of follow a template without thinking. I usually come out from that feeling much more inspired again and with ideas for my own things.
Also, the other day I took a canvas with a painting I did years ago (I think in 2009) which I didn’t like and didn’t want to keep. I gessoed over it and started new with a completely different painting. It was very freeing!! The painting I ended up creating was SO different from my usual style but I actually LOVE it and it’s given me faith in my ability to diversify and begin to find my own style.
Do share your thoughts about marketing being heartful and spiritual. I am really struggling with this. I am coming back into the mixed media art world after many years away, my ‘following’ is pretty much gone and I feel so torn about marketing. I know I need to, but I also feel like it’s cynical and I feel deeply uncomfortable with being all “hey, look at me!” Lol I guess I have personal issues around this that I need to explore.
Thanks for sharing your techniques. xx