how to break through creative block
Chalking it up to laziness, or a lack of self discipline, I was in the camp of a self-righteous creative. When creative block came for a third time, I finally submitted.
My first experience with creative block came in 2018 when I was expecting my first child. This wasn’t a huge surprise, or even scary as my mind was swirling with questions and thoughts about motherhood. Creative expression felt trivial in the face of all of the Big Changes having a child brings.
Creative block returned again, in 2020 when I was pregnant with my second. This was partnered with perinatal depression and anxiety so I wrote it off as another challenge to an already difficult pregnancy.
The metalsmithing side of my studio.
It wasn’t until my third pregnancy in 2023, that I recognized the pattern. When creative block came around for the third time, it hit me the hardest. Fewer questions about motherhood plagued me and I was settlong into my identity as an artist with gusto. When the ability to create evaporated, I could feel myself slipping into a dark place. I wrote this poem, capturing how I felt.
Muddy boggy creek
My mind, my knees, weak
Searching in the dark
Hoping for a spark
Nothing (blocked)
What I didn’t initially understand with creative block, was how jarring the experience is. If creating, regardless of expression, is part of what makes you, you. Not having access to that feels like a free fall. Nothing sticks. A white noise machine in your brain, the same static sound on repeat.
Now, everyone’s experience is different. My creativity has returned, again and again. But not on its own, each time I’ve had to work to rebuild it. Here is what I’ve done to overcome creative block.
Spark Bird
There is a term in the birding community, Spark Bird, which is used to describe the first bird that gets you into birding. For me, each time I’ve broken through creative block there has been a ‘spark bird’ so to speak.
My first spark bird to break through creative block was this painting, spurred by the start of the pandemic and a burn to create again.
had been wanting to paint, but didn’t have any idea of WHAT to paint (see: creative block), so I used Strategy #1 and painted a photo from another artist, Nikole Herriott.
Cyanotype workshop, making a cyanotype of my sons foot (sob!).
The second spark bird was this cyanotype I did (Strategy #2). Again, I had been wanting to paint but had no vision. This short, simple cyanotype workshop was the spark I needed to get going on what would become the Rushweed Collection.
My most recent spark bird was a panel discussion I attended at Baylor University, Strategy #5. Four Baylor professors were speaking on faith, creativity and how to live out the call. It was one of those moments when the room stills, and it feels like you are the only person in the room. Whilst still in the early stages, it was this conversation that jump-started my foggy brain to begin my newest body of work.
Now let’s get to the playbook.
Strategies to overcome creative block
Copy someone else’s work
Work outside of your typical medium
Remove social media
Assess your inputs
Engage with other creatives
Read, visit a museum, look at your past work
Show up
Change your environment
Stop procrastinating and just work
1. Copy someone else’s work
This is a great starting point, to get the juices flowing. Without the intent to pass on their creativity as yours. Solely for the purposes of getting going again, of doing SOMETHING. As you’ll see in the my first spark bird piece, that style of painting does not feel like me. It was what I needed to start again.
Side note: the collection of jewelry I made after I painted this, was one of my favorites to date. The Alta Collection, the pieces here are still some of the most popular! I say that to show that how small starter projects can pave the way for something larger.
2. Work outside of your typical medium
Working in a different medium, ideally a medium that isn’t intended for an audience is freeing and enlightening! It fights the idea that every endeavor must be commercialized, and some creative work is just for fun. I think part of the reason this strategy can be so effective is, it activates a different part of your brain and makes you work harder which can help loosen some stuck bits up there.
3. Remove social media
I’ll speak for myself here. Social media does not inspire me to create better work. What it does inspires in me is comparison, jealousy, and an ungrateful attitude. It drains me and drains my desire to work. When I’m blocked, watching someone else’s creativity is the last thing I need to thrive.
Works in progress, January 2023.
4. Assess your inputs
What are you reading, watching, listening to? Who are you spending time with? Are you leaving these conversations inspired or drained? The adage ‘garbage in, garbage out’ applies here.
5. Engage with other creatives
THIS! Going to lectures, symphonies, panel discussions, art openings, poetry readings. Discussing literature, art, poetry, music with others can be illuminating. I find that in person experiences and conversations are revelatory for generating new ideas.
6. Read, visit a museum, look at your past work
Books and museums are my top two sources of inspiration. Reading inspiring literature and seeing magnificent work centers me and moves me to create as well. I also find looking at my past work and analyzing why a piece worked helps a lot. Seeing what works and what doesn’t can be helpful when starting a new piece.
7. Show up
Show up to your practice. Day after day. Even when it appears hopeless, useless. Build a habit of showing up for yourself and for your work. Stay faithful to the practice, get your reps in. The professional does not wait for the stars to align to get to work.
8. Change your environment
A day trip to a different city visiting a museum, and a park. A weekend camping. A week in Italy. Somewhere outside of your typical routine to hit the reset button and be in a new environment. Getting out of your comfort zone, forcing your brain to activate, analyze, digest.
9. Stop procrastinating and just work
An easy wall to hide behind is the wall of more education. Justifying more research, more instruction in the name of bettering oneself. The point isn’t that education is bad, but be aware that this can also be a tool to avoid making the work you were created to do. Sometimes you just need to get to work.
These are the strategies I’ve used to overcome creative block and get working again. I won’t claim this to be a one size fits all approach, nothing is. But this has worked for me, and if I get blocked again I know where I’ll start.