I've gotten a lot more into proactively creating artwork than I have in a very long time. There are many reasons for this, but primarily everyday life things. Either way, being more engaged in creating, I found that the idea creation in my head at the beginning of a new project is formed quickly without much problem. However, I seem to run into a problem taking that idea that I articulate and visualize so well in my head and start applying the first marks to its final medium.
I seem to have a very predictable pattern as of late, and while at first, it used to annoy me, I have learned to see it for what it is and know what I can from it. I am learning that recognizing a pattern that deals with my frustrations in failures involving art can help show me what I might have been doing wrong and what I can do to improve moving forward or future projects.
When I start a project, I tend to do a lot of thinking and mental sketching about what I'd like to put on canvas and what I'd like to convey. ..If anything. Art doesn't always have to scream something. It can just be something that makes you happy while enjoying the process. But that is a topic for another post.
When I finally get to start working on the piece, I am most likely in a place mentally where the project is vast and ambitious. Spending a lot of time contemplating what you will create can turn into a substantial order. Especially when you have a vivid and relentless imagination like mine. In contrast, this is not necessarily a bad thing when you recognize it and learn how to let the mistakes and frustration Point you in the direction that is more than often far more reasonable than what you may have initially had in mind.
All of this said, I am incredibly confident and pleased that I have discovered a very surefire way to harness this otherwise destructive pattern into a clear path to flow with the creative process instead of riding the vicious cycle of frustration.
Now when I'm in the middle of my process, I can identify when I'm experiencing this cycle's start quickly. If I feel I've been grinding my gears and had enough, I will then take a break from the project for at least 12-24 hours. This break creates a much-needed mental space that I believe to be highly conducive and important to the next phase; the reapproach. A proper place of clarity and rest where I find the real magic can happen. This space is what I refer to as a 'flow' state.
In my own experience and journey, the flow state seems to follow through after I have exhausted all other avenues and grand ideas that I previously thought were going to work. Picture this. If the flow state was a person, I could make the following analogy;
Flow, who is always interested and looking in my direction, awaits me to give up my current creative process's absolute control. When flow sees my frustration, she waits next for my surrender. To initiate an invite and permissions from me and offer me a fresh perspective and insights into what's next creatively. Around this time, I am entirely aware of what's happening with my mental state concerning my creativity. I also, by now, have more than likely accept the fact that I have more than likely, highly overshot my expectations by biting off more than I could chew—a common side effect of a highly zealous creator. My canvas has, by this time, become a lot smaller. My idea has more than likely become highly simplified. And I'm always amazed that my original concept of communication has not changed really at all. By the time I have finished, I'm much happier with the result than I had initially thought I would.
I firmly believe that learning how to let go is the 'turnkey' to the master bedroom of our creative potential. Creative control is not always easy to balance between creativity and execution. It can be scary to let go. But when you finally do, it's like the absence of resistance allows the creative wave to flow naturally and fluidly.
That's all for now. I have been working on some exciting things that I am looking forward to sharing with everyone soon. Until then
Derek
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