On Feeling Uninspired.
In my previous post, I laid out the journey that I've been on as an artist and gift shop owner for the last 3.5 years. I briefly mentioned at the end that while I've been feeling the urge to paint again, I haven't necessarily been feeling creative or inspired about what to paint.
This is a feeling that I'm intimately familiar with as an artist, as I assume most artists are. I don't know anyone who feels creative all the time. Creativity is a muscle that requires exercise and flexibility to stay nimble. I have absolutely allowed my creative muscles to atrophy, and while I am generally used to this feeling, I haven't ever experienced it quite in this way. When I reflect on why that might be, I can only assume that there are two things at play:
This is the longest break I've had from consistently making art. Again, creativity is a muscle, and I have not been working mine out.
I am attempting to completely switch gears and start over with my art style, techniques, and mediums. When I was most recently making art on a regular basis, I was deep in the world of linocut printmaking. Now, I want to revive my artistic self with oil paintings, watercolors, and drawings. Those are very different things, and I am feeling a little lost because of it.
So now what? Where do I go from here? How do I get unstuck? These are excellent questions :)
For me, the first step is to make art. No pressure on it; just make. Draw, sketch, paint, whatever.
Do I have to love it? No.
Will it spark creativity? Maybe, but also maybe not.
Do I have to sell it? Absolutely not.
Will I learn from it? Definitely.
Just keep making art. And then make more art - hate a lot of it, kind of like some of it. Keep going. All of those "kind of likes" are like little stepping stones. Even the hint of liking something fans the flame of creativity. Those little hints build on each other until one day, finally, it hits! The idea strikes, and the creative juices start flowing.
I've literally never reached that place of inspiration without trudging through a lot of art that I didn't like first. Experimentation is not just important; it's crucial. Failures, as discouraging as they can be, are also crucial. They help us understand our preferences, refine our artistic direction, and improve our technical skills. They are the stepping stones to our artistic growth!
The second thing that's been helpful for me is to step out of my own circumstances and comfort zone. Inspiration often strikes when we allow ourselves to explore new environments. Whether it's a hike, a visit to a museum, a favorite bookstore, or a day at the lake. I take a sketchbook with me just in case, but I don't force anything. I don't expect these outings to solve all my artistic dilemmas; I'm just open. I'm intentionally perceptive and prioritize the enjoyment of the moment over any pressure for immediate results.
And I'm in that very season right now as I type this. Making the art, kind of liking some of it, not liking most of it, and trudging trudging trudging along. My family recently took me to my favorite DFW museum for Mother's Day, and I was definitely inspired while I was there. I was inspired to think outside the box and bend the lines of my comfort zone as an artist. So now I'm sketching and really not liking what I'm coming up with, but I'm being disciplined to keep trying anyway.
So if you are in this season with me, know you are not alone! We've all been there, and I hope you find comfort in that today. And thanks, as always, for being here! Thank you for coming on this journey with me as I rediscover my artistic point of view.