I’ve recently talked about, written about and definitely jabbered on about my recent creative slump/fatigue/blank wall now what feeling I’ve had about painting. Good news, it’s gone! Bad news, it will be back. I had an artist friend in the similar situation ask me what I do when I feel like this and because I wasn’t in that predicament that moment, I had all kinds of cheerful enthusiastic suggestions for her that were undoubtedly annoying as hell.
Go back to basics, study the classics.
Just show up and paint. Don’t paint at all.
Read about other artists. Never look at other artists work.
Go for a walk. Take a nap.
Eat your favorite treats. Cleanse.
I know all these suggestions because they all work, just not all at the same time. My friend chose to go back to basics. Paint simple, paint small, pick a subject that inspired and didn’t need an end result. I did the same.
I found a series of photos (thank you Google) of vintage Chanel perfume bottles and put together my version of this classic. It was fun, light-hearted and I took my time. It was slow and deliberate and made me happy. That is the goal here. To get back to happy because happy leads to wanting to work which leads to doing the work which leads to all the good things that might happen when there is finished work! And I’d like to mention that these Yoda gems are written AFTER the melt-down, hand-wringing, doubt, window staring, cat patting, Netflix watching and Instagram scrolling. The rear view mirror is so crystal clear.
That’s why I’m writing this down. To share but to remember it for me that all of this passes. The creative surges, the lulls and the dead wind. Some lulls are longer than others but they pass, every single one of them. Back to basics for me. Things I love, subjects that light me up. I’m liking these old classics and new perspectives. xo
“Chanel No. 5″ 8×10” on thick gallery canvas $225 email me for inquires
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