Back in the Saddle

8x12 oil

Writer's block is something I am quite familiar with. You're zooming along, in the flow, every keystroke has magic in it ... then, boom! Mind freeze. You can't think of a word to say, what to write. You're about as creative as a fencepost. And you start to worry about that. Before long you've gone down the writer's block rabbit hole, and that sneaky little critic in your head comes out to play: Why did you ever think you could write? Your stuff stinks. No one wants to read your mediocre fiction. Oh look, you forgot how to write.

Ugh!

But over the years I have found ways to climb back out of that writer's rabbit hole, and the best one is simple -- "Butt in chair! Write!"

This week I discovered that this same insidious blockage (resistance, avoidance, fear) exists in painting, as well, and probably in every other kind of creative pursuit. I'd be willing to bet that you've been there a time or two yourself. Right?

What you don't see in this painting are the three previous paintings that I scraped off this very same panel. Three! And my devious little critic was ecstatic! "You forgot how to paint! You couldn't paint anyway. It's over. Face it, you're done! Go play pickle ball."
As embarrassing as it is to admit, I allowed myself to listen to this rubbish for four days straight! I totally fell under its spell ... paint, scrape, paint, scrape, paint scrape ... until I got so sick of that insanity that it started to worry me. Is it true? Did I forget how to paint? Am I really done?

Heck no. Remembering what I learned as a writer, I stuffed my critic back in his greasy pizza box and got back in the saddle (Butt in saddle! Paint!). I picked up my brush and glared at that now-swampy-colored panel. And started again. I came up with this painting, which I sort of like. That whole unpleasant process told me something important about being creative: it's better to be in the saddle than following with a shovel.

Onward!