Creating art is just plain weird.

For the last few weeks I have been in a “writers’ block” for some reason.  Paintings started, new ideas pushed around and then something innate pushes me off that path and those ideas fade out.

So I doubled down. (Taurus, stubborn) I found myself at the studio late, looked at old photo references of models and even dragged a ton of books off of my shelves and tried to find inspiration again. I played new music and listened to new podcasts while working.

Nah-da.

Then over the weekend something seemed to click. A new portrait started. An older one finished up. But I still found myself still staring at the paintings. Still wondering what I am missing. The restlessness was real. I took walks. I visited a friend. Meditate. Watched too much Netflix. Contemplate becoming a greeter at Walmart….

So I tried again. A friends grandchildren came to play. I bought bubble wands and a bottle of bubble soap and we spent some time in the sun. And the weirdest thing happened. An image started and took over in my head. A pattern of circles and a color harmony unlike anything I have ever used before. I pulled out my trusty color chips that I use for all of my paintings and just played. Threw them on the floor…. and waited for my gut to tell me it felt right. I kept questioning it, but a little voice of intuition said to just keep going. I pulled out an old, and well loved surface- Ampersand- which I have not used in a while. I went back to my favorite pastel sticks and my tried and true layering method. And slowly….what do you know… “it” clicked. (Connection to the creator? Inspiration? Artists understand what I mean) Maybe not how I thought it would, but I am off in a new direction. Tiny nuances of color and slight tonal transitions that I love so much came forth without any planned effort. Whew.

I got my mojo back.

So creating art is weird. You have to go around to the back door sometimes. Over-design a thing to death and it will fall flat. Plant a tiny seed of inspiration and it can blossom. Because what you think you are creating can pivot and can take you into a new direction. If you try too hard the work will feel like you tried too hard. That is what happens for me. But if I breathe into it, find my inner peace, and if I am lucky enough I can pick up a new thread and get “it” to flow again. 

Here are some small peeks. I’ll see where I end up by next week… until then, keep breathing.