October 24, 2011

artist's block

I thought that forcing the issue by writing (OK, photographing) a blog post (see below) would create what I needed to get past what is, as I can now admit, artist's block. So smug, I thought I would never have to make such a confession ... but here I am.

See, I always have plenty of ideas, and I thought that was what block was all about: lack of ideas. I still have the ideas, I just can't seem to find a coherent and consistent way of putting them together. I do one successful painting, think I'm on a roll, try to maintain that energy ... and tank. It keeps happening. But now I can't even seem to get that ONE painting off the ground. After writing last week's blog post I proceeded to paint two complete paintings on that panel, neither of which survived 24 hours. So then I returned to a larger painting that I'd been forced to abandon when my life spiralled out of control a couple of months ago. It's now occupying the same dead space as the smaller panel.

There's only one solution: I'm off to buy chocolate.

10 comments:

Melody said...

Been there a million times and probably will revisit once again. There have been days/weeks in which I've avoided the studio like the plaque for that same reason. I find now that I simply force myself to walk into that space if only to clean up or some other mundane chore. 99% of the time I end up doing something creative ... granted, it may suck but I'm still working and at times some of my best work has been produced in that mindset. Your a great painter and a pretty cool chick if I do say so ... your going to make it out of this rut but chocolate....I can't argue with that ...

SamArtDog said...

Yes, when in doubt, chocolate. Always!

albina said...

mmmm, chocolate.... good idea. hope it will work!

Indigene Theresa said...

I know that feeling and ice cream works for me! Hmmm...which explains my roundness...:)

Maybe, stop thinking about it and just clean your studio, prime canvases, rip thru magazines and collage your feelings or what you would like to create, etc.

Don't force it, but show up for other creative activities...go out and snap some pixs of some luscious chocolate, that's creative, too!

I've got an ear or email me, any time you want commiserate! :)

kj said...

i've been there a million times too. chocolate is the right idea.

i've been taught as a writer that i should insist i sit in front of my laptop even if i just sit there. discipline. sometimes it works for me.

other times, i pretend i'm writing when i'm actually blogging.

one thing for sure andrea: your talent isn't going anywhere. maybe it needed a vacation....

love
kj

Sheila Tansey said...

Wow, I am in this state right now too,...glad I'm in good company! I have too many ideas in my head and I get immobilized!! I have two commissions that I'm supposed to be working on...and one I actually blogged about today because I'm sick of fretting over it and I've just been sucking wind with it because I find likenesses stress me, but I love the subject matter (horses)... so I thought blogging about it puts it out there so I can release it, and boy has it felt good to release it!! I feel like I can move on to something else while the portrait incubates for awhile...

I love the cartoons Andrea...I can relate so much! Thanks for sharing this!! ...I am munching on some chocolate as we speak...not the healthy dark stuff...the forbidden Halloween kind...tis the season! :-)

dinahmow said...

I couldn't get the link to work here so I emailed it...
What I was saying(to add to the thread) is that in my case, doing something quite different seems to oil my hinges.
Sometimes!

angela recada said...

I hear you, Andrea. There's no point in trying to force it. You'll be making art again when the time is right. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy your chocolate.

andrea said...

Thanks for the votes of confidence -- and reinforcement for my choice of chocolate! :)

Rose L said...

Chocolate, the cure-all for everything.
http://poetrose24.blogspot.com/