Our Invisible Power
Do you ever find yourself “stuck” in the middle of a creative process?
Do you wonder how other artists keep putting out work when you can’t seem to complete one, simple project?
“Writer’s block”, or something akin to it, is a universal challenge for all creators and visionaries.
It is one of those things that are not “if it happens”, but rather “when it happens.”
Recently I completed my first new painting, Our Invisible Power, in 6 years. The inspiration came to me with great clarity a few months ago. I excitedly ordered supplies on Amazon, and feverishly began painting the image in my mind’s eye. For 5 weeks, I worked on it almost daily - changing, rearranging, and fully painting over whole sections multiple times so I could create the feeling, as well as the visual experience I was envisioning.
To stay motivated and inspired to complete works, I find it really helpful to hear about the creative processes of other people. Through witnessing their journeys, I get the necessary reminder that I am not alone in the hurdles I come up against. This gives me the courage and momentum to keep going. I also gain helpful insights from how other artists navigate their challenges. After all, why reinvent the wheel?
I have two primary ways I bring inspiration flowing through me into form. The first is how my new painting came into being – fast and furious. It feels fiery and almost obsessive. I get the idea with an immediate burst of clarity. I then paint for hours into the night and go until I feel complete. I also do this when writing music, books, and creating for my business.
The other way I translate inspiration into form feels stickier. A vision comes through either with partial clarity, or with clarity about what to create but I don’t know how to execute it. In these situations, I often find myself with a quick burst of energy that sets the project into motion. Oftentimes, I soon stall out when I don’t know the next step. How I choose to navigate this moment has been an excellent teacher for me in all areas of my life! Historically, my habit has been to get carried away by my newest idea and let some of my greatest work never be completed. Recognizing that this is a choice and not just the way things are, I made a decision to complete every project I start. I realized it does not matter how long it takes, the important thing is letting the baby be born and not stay stuck in the birth canal, forever hidden from the world.
I often have both versions of these creations happening in my life simultaneously. It is a beautiful dance as long as I can keep redirecting my focus back to each project. From the photos, you will see the essence of this painting was there from the beginning. At different points, I added in new elements or brought in new colors. I would recognize immediately if it was the right choice. The key is I had to be willing to mess it up in order to test out an inspiration. This can be scary in different situations because depending upon what you are creating, you may not be able to go back to the previous form. In this case, I knew I could paint over something if I didn’t like it, but it wasn’t necessarily easy to paint a bold block of color, and then make disappear.
It would have been easiest to be afraid to try and potentially miss the opportunity to make it a stellar work of art vs. a good one.
Dare to Desire-
Kristen