THREE EASY WAYS TO BREAK FREE FROM CREATIVE PARALYSIS
“We always do the best we can by the light we have to see by”
I have a confession to make. I haven’t so much as picked up a paintbrush in about three weeks now. There is a thin layer of dust on my board. The water in my pots has evaporated. Spiders have (probably) taken up residence in my painting shoes. Since my exhibition, I am actually afraid to be in my studio and have spent most of this time curled up on my sofa with my head buried either in my laptop or a book. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but as an artist it feels wrong to not be throwing paint around. I am suffering from creative paralysis which is something that I never expected. The good news is that I am aware that that is what it is and so I now know what to do about it.
Having been creating art regularly for the last couple of years I have begun to notice a pattern in my behaviour: whenever I finish a collection or significant body of work and put it out in to the world I spend the next couple of weeks racked with self-doubt, imposter syndrome and fear. I feel empty and emotionally drained, unable to enjoy the feeling of sharing something new with the world. However, it seems that this is quite common among the artistic community (which makes me feel less flaky!) and I’ve learned some valuable practices to ensure I don’t go all Van Gogh and do something silly.
Obviously it’s different for everyone and we all have our own ways of getting through stuff but these are a few things that help me when I feel artistically bankrupt:
GO INSIDE
The word emotion is derived from the Latin ‘emovere’ which means to move through or move out. Most of us tend to suppress our feelings for fear of being seen as weak or needy but if they aren’t released they will fester in the body which can result in a plethora of physical problems. In times of heightened emotions it is important to spend some time sitting with them and to figure out where they’re coming from. Our thoughts are not facts so no matter how many times I think I’m not good enough or that my work sucks, I know it’s not true. And if I feel like I need to have a little cry, I bloody well will. All this introspection helps the stuck emotions to move through and out.
CHILL, WINSTON
I am much better at resting than I used to be. In the old days I would feel guilty if I wasn’t always doing something productive. Creativity can’t be forced and there needs to be a period of repose before the next phase can begin. It’s important not to berate myself for being lazy and to remember that relaxation is an essential part of the process. I love a self-care ritual so I’ll light some candles and incense, put on my comfies and a chill playlist and get stuck in to a book. Or I’ll binge-watch some Grey’s Anatomy. (FYI, this also helps with step one as I cry during nearly every flippin’ episode!)
DON’T SWEAT IT AND GET ON THE FUN BUS
Nothing lasts forever and creative paralysis is no different. Reminding myself that the desire to make more art will return when I am ready takes the pressure off. In a way my artistry hasn’t really disappeared, I am just expressing it in a different way. Over the last week or so I have reverted to writing mode and been thinking up new content ideas so it’s not been totally devoid of creativity.
I am terrible ‘playing’ but, along with the aforementioned practices, it too is a must. We all know that sometimes we can get too close to our projects and time spent doing something completely un-related can help us to gain clarity a shift the energy. My business is also my hobby but I’ve managed to squeeze in a few fun activities like watching my football team, dinner with friends and going to a comedy gig. If all else fails I’ll whack on Fearne Cotton’s Sounds of the 90s and dance like a loon to raise my vibration!
I know it’s only a matter of time before I get painting again and so for now I’m just going to enjoy where I’m at.
Kx