Let's just talk about grief. It is not the most common topic when it comes to art but I have come across a book called Art&Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland and reading it was a life-changing experience.
Having creative blocks and procrastination is accompanying every artist's journey. It is a freezing feeling. It is feeling stuck and sometimes not even knowing why. The book mentioned above served a new perspective for me and I really wanted to share it with you.
Every piece of empty canvas holds endless possibilities. You have an idea, you grab a brush/pencil, whatever and with every stroke you start limiting the possibilities. Every choice you make during the process gets the reality of the piece further away from the imagined end product. It is how it is.
And this process is hell of a journey. It is self development. It is surrendering. And it is GRIEF.
After you finish a piece you face the feeling of "what could have been". A little bit of emptiness. Not always negatively, but you sense the loss of all the other possibilities that simply didn't happen. The fear of this feeling stops us from creating. How beautiful!
Since I have read this thought, I am looking for things I am grieving even subconsciously and it is such a freeing experience. I now know what is happening when I feel that chest wrapping feeling. I am grieving.
Grieving relationships that could have been beautiful. I am grieving places, trips, versions of myself, art pieces that simply didn't happen. Don't get me wrong, I am truly and deeply grateful for all the things that did actually happen. I truly, deeply am happy with who I am now.
It just reminds me of the weight of being a creator. And all of us are creators. Every person with every choice is creating the art piece of their life. Limiting possibilities and still, creating something beautiful.
Realizing this gives us the power to get rid of that fear. When you get mindful of the processes that happen inside of you, you get to get moving. When you understand that it is not the lack of your talent, or not being enough that is holding you from creating your next piece. It is just the fear of grief and you can get over that. With your next piece, you will limit some possibilities (within that piece) but still, move forward on your journey. And most importantly, you are creating. One possibility from endless possibilities.
I hope this little snippet will get you going and helps you to think about creative blocks and procrastination a little bit differently.
Grab your brush and go, finish that painting!
Happy creating!
The art piece below is called "Exhale" and was created digitally in Procreate in 2019.
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