It’s All Part of the Process – Overcoming Artist’s Block.

So, I arrive at my studio after a busy day at work with every intention and compulsion to create.

I walk in, close the door and put on my painting clothes. I dock my iPhone to the speaker and sound out some trancey music and pick up a few instruments and open a few bottles of System 3 Acrylic Paints. I sit patiently and look endlessly at the white glare coming from the over-lit cartridge paper emanating from my drawing desk…but there’s a block. Nothing seems to flow! All those ideas and the energy driving me to want to express in my studio, have somewhat dissolved away like helpless sugar crystals to a hot mug of coffee.

I try to make sense of this and tell myself I’m tired and over worked, but that all-too-familiar feeling of frustration started to build up inside me like raging magma inside an ancient volcano.

I wonder if this is what they call ‘Artists’ Block’? “I mean, surely there can’t be such a thing?” I converse to myself. I’d heard of ‘Writers Block’ which I thought was a more plausible concept than ‘Artists’ Block’, since I’d always thought writing was a little more taxing and academically demanding than drawing or painting. It turns out I was wrong.

After a few moments of hesitation, I’d remembered some wise words spoken to me from a fellow artist friend of mine – “Don’t think, just do something. Anything”. So I did. However, what I didn’t do is use any of my materials, but grabbed my laptop to frantically google this ‘Artist’s Block’ to see if indeed it was actually a real thing - and if it was, find out how I can overcome it.

Inevitably Google brought back dozens of pages and articles related to Artist’s Block. After having read a couple of these, I suddenly came to the realisation that this was all a part of the natural and ongoing process of creation. This made me feel somewhat a little better and retract some of the feelings of inadequacy (as an artist). But what was also made clear to me is that inspiration is the driving force behind the flow of ideas and without it, any serious artist will ‘dry up’.

So how do you find inspiration?

This may seem like a very broad and rhetorical question but after much contemplation and a little research, the answer is simple;

Do more of the things you love and immerse your mind and full attention in doing them - Oh and take a sketch book with you everywhere you go!

It goes without saying, we all have our own interests and hobbies but it’s also very easy to neglect them in the haste of everyday life. It’s important that we do not let the stresses of work and life interfere with and pollute our minds from these otherwise perfectly engineered situations - to absorb creative inspiration at its best. It is at these times, that our most creative and innovative thoughts will come. But just like passing ships on the ocean – these momentous and creative ideas can also pass if we do not capture the sight of them when they appear.

This weekend, I’m taking a trip to the zoo to do something I love and spend time around animals and nature – rest assured I will not be leaving my sketch book at home!

Go forth and be inspired. Do what you love and love what you do!