Doldrums? Need to Change?

"Healing Waters" Pastel 14" x 11"

Here are a few items you might want to try!

I was reading a blog post by John Weiss that are along the lines I am discussing here about making a change. He gave a list like I have below, but I made my own list with the help of his. And, in the article, he also said, "The question is, must art become commercially successful and widely recognized to be powerful? To fulfill the artist's creative vision? To elicit joy in others? .... Doing the work is enough." I did leave out some of what he said before that last sentence because what I read spoke to me just the way I have presented it here to you.

Make sure to listen to your heart! Change should only be about a passion or an intriguing idea that just won't go away. This might be a great clue as to a direction worth exploring.

So.... what should you do?

1. Identify why you feel you are stymied or need something new, or you are stuck in the doldrums.

2. Visualize what could be .... what intrigues you.

3. Write down your thoughts, or what you would like to change. Do some research into the things you are thinking need work.

4. Make a list of steps that might help you accomplish the change you wish to make. Have a plan of study, or practice... which helps you figure out where to go.

5. Create some reminders of what you want to accomplish .... your goal. Stick them up where you will see them every day. Practice with purpose these things that are change or different from your normal way.

6. And maybe you need to change your routine so it will be easier to not fall back on your old methods. Move your supplies, have a different order, change the supplies, put on different music.... anything that will signify something new is about to happen!

Remember ... you might encounter these types of feelings, or the need to change something, many different times during your lifetime or career. This is normal and a realization that it is time for growth or learning something new! You can't grow if you keep doing the same thing all the time.

Farm On a Hill (working title) Pastel 11"x14"

 I have a quote taped up right beside my easel which says, "If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything creative!" I think about it more now that I see this quote beside me. It helps!

The two paintings in this blog are part of my change from the past three or four years of trying to "simplify" which really led me down a road that was not working for me. So, part of my change was going back to who I really am, and what I love to paint ... use what I have learned in those years to make my work better!

So ..... sometimes change might be revisiting who you really are, using things you have learned, and understanding what "success" means to you.