Canvastrails » Artist's creative block and how to overcome it

"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."

Pablo Picasso

Was he right? Personally, I stand by that statement. Ultimately, that is the way to overcome whatever is stopping one from creating art; however, there are some steps to reach that point and many artists don’t give it a second thought.

There are many challenges that life throws our way. Every person has experienced something that put them in a bad place. Art cannot fix the difficulties in life, as it is often exaggerated to being THE cure. It offers a way to move through the low point, instead of being stuck in it. It is very important to remember that when things fall apart, the goal isn’t to create something impressive. However, even if you're in for a messy result, showing up matters most. Creating with no plan, no expectations, something small, a sketch, or a few lines, allows you to regain connection with your own thoughts. Over time, creating for the purpose of escaping a difficult time, transcends into processing it, turning the confusion into something you can hold on to and make sense of. This shall serve as a reminder: even when subdued, you can create something tangible, real. And that’s a pretty big deal.

"The Times They are A-changin' ". Being an artist doesn't only involve paints, brushes, a canvas, an easel and creating. As an artist, you are also running a business and that adds so much more to your plate. Figuring out the best strategies, staying active on social media, filming, editing, writing and constantly feeding the machine in a world that seems overly-saturated is inevitably going to be draining and exhausting, especially when all the effort you put in does not bring any immediate results. But if this brings any consolation, self-promotion, logistics and marketing strategies have been around for a very, VERY long time, only... instead of emails, they sent letters to the Pope or to the kings. Take Michelangelo for example, working day and night, negotiating contracts, chasing after payments, dealing with demanding, rigid clients and treated like a simple craftsman instead of an artist. He wrote many letters addressing issues such as being underpaid, over-controlled and other conflicts. He even roasted a client who hadn't paid him, fresco style! Leonardo da Vinci was struggling with the same matters, leaving works unfinished because commissions changed or became politically complicated. There are many more examples I could give, but the point is that artists have never been 'free creatives' in a romantic sense. The frustration goes back to the point we realized we could create art in exchange for other benefits. I don't know if there are any clear examples from the Paleolithic Era, of cavemen offering cave painting services in exchange for pelts or something, but I wouldn't be surprised if that actually happened. The work never ends, only the scenery changes.

Your self-worth is directly proportional to the art you create. This is one of the problems many artists face during their artistic journey and it can definitely be convincing enough to consider giving up. We live in a fast-paced environment that trains us to consume bite-sized content which further tricks our minds to believe that we spend very little time scrolling. And since that is what most of us do, we get to discover all these other artists' online 'ecosystems' that have hundreds of thousands of followers and are incredibly captivating. Inevitably, the expectations grow, the standard grows, but the skill stays stagnant. And why is that? Because the expectations are unrealistic, and you fear to create something that doesn't fulfill that sparkly standard, leaving you with none of the attention. Comparing yourself with someone else is not a healthy approach. It will only bring misery and make you lose control of yourself and your career as an artist.

What I think is important to know before overcoming the creative block is having a very good idea of what you wake up for in the morning. Once you have that figured out, the rest is mostly structural. From an emotional angle, you have to detach yourself from unrealistic expectations and other people's reactions. Someone told me long ago that there will always be someone much better than me, no matter how hard I try. While that might hold negative connotations, it is one of the most positive thoughts you can carry, because once you make peace with that, then you are truly free of the pressure. Keep an open mind to learning, experiment with new materials or techniques, take a course if you feel it is necessary and create. Show up for yourself and enjoy the creative process. It will feed your spirit and with time, it guarantees that the quality of your work will increase, as well as your success. Art is subjective and you are creating something authentic. With every one of your creations, you are putting something in the world that has not existed before. Without planting any seeds, nothing grows, so it helps to think of your business like planting the seed of a beautiful plant. Tend to it, nurture it and cherish it, for one day it will grow and it will reward you for your efforts.

So not every day is all sunshine and roses, and that's fine. Stay consistent with your art and remember a response from a potential customer is beyond your control. You'll only miss the shots that you don't take and that fortune favors the bold, as Virgil said.