Susan Washington

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Creative blocks happen and come with the job of being an artist. But when you're in the middle of one, it can feel like the end of the world. I've experienced this firsthand, as I shared in a Q&A for Cohart. While preparing for a solo show, I was completely blocked. In frustration, I threw everything in the garbage. Days later, I found some broken boards in a similar orientation to the ones I had learned to paint on with my godmother when I was young. I incorporated some familiar materials, like tailoring patterns and the Japanese newspapers I used in collage as a child. I had no idea what direction I was taking. However, I quickly found my flow and busted through that creative block by handling these different materials I had not considered before.

More recently, I faced another block after six months of intense productivity—commissions, art fairs, and gallery pieces. When it was finally over, I felt creatively empty and frustrated. I turned to a photography-based project I’d set aside earlier in the year. It was a completely different medium, and the fresh challenge felt liberating. Every day since I’ve been excited to get back to the studio.

I share these stories to show that creative blocks are a normal part of our work. We can't always be "on." Talking with other artists has also reminded me that I'm not alone. In this blog, I will share insights on recognizing and navigating these setbacks.


#### What Is a Creative Block?

A creative block is when an artist feels stuck, unmotivated, or unable to create. You may feel unfocused, need ideas, or even be bored with your work. This can lead to frustration and self-doubt. Before arriving at what I now call my "Subway Sonnet" series, I spent months exploring different ideas. It was frustrating going through the process, creating without any result, spending most of the time staring at the work, thinking about what was next and how to get what I saw in my head onto the canvas. In hindsight, it led to that significant body of work—I just couldn’t recognize it while going through the process.


#### Why Do We Get Creative Blocks?

Creative blocks can happen for many reasons: stress, burnout, personal pressures, perfectionism, or fear of failure. Many artists experience periods of feeling stuck or disconnected from their work. It’s important to know that this is a standard part of the creative process, even if each artist experiences it differently.


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#### Types of Creative Blocks

**Skills Gap**: You can feel blocked by a gap in your technical skills. Early in my career, I would get setbacks when there was a gap in my technical skills. Sometimes, I would have to build upon my artistic vocabulary to continue moving on. You may want to accomplish something on the canvas and have the idea, but you need to know how to go about it which can lead to setbacks. 

**Emotional Block**: Fear of failure or criticism is real and can create self-doubt and hinder our creative output.

**Stress and Anxiety**: Personal stressors can contribute to blocks, making it hard to find the mental space to create.

**Lack of Motivation or Inspiration**: It’s normal to go through periods when you are simply not inspired to create or unmotivated to generate new ideas.


#### Strategies to Overcome Creative Blocks

**Keep Working**: Inspired by Picasso’s words, I often work through blocks by changing things up—stapling canvas to the wall, using new mediums, and exploring without a specific plan. This approach is freeing and can help me reconnect with the act of creation itself.

**Take a Break**: Give yourself time away without feeling pressured to create. Sometimes, a short break—a mini vacation, time in nature, or visiting a museum—can help rejuvenate your creativity.

**Engage with Your Creative Community**: Visit artist friends in their studios, have conversations, and see what they’re working on. Fresh perspectives can be incredibly motivating.

**Seek New Inspiration**: Taking a drive with a good playlist often sparks ideas.

**Journaling or Sketching**: Documenting thoughts and emotions can help you reflect on your experience and may lead to insights that unblock creativity.

**Experiment with New Mediums**: During a particularly frustrating block, I took a trip to a facility in upstate New York that made oil pigment sticks. They had bags of leftover thick, lush pigment sticks from workshops. I bought a few bags. On the 3-hour drive back home, all I could think about were these richly pigmented, lipstick-like oil paint sticks in the bags. I felt so inspired to play that I went straight to the studio and a flood of ideas hit.

**Embrace Imperfection**: Allow yourself to make mistakes and create without judgment. 

**Seek Feedback**: Talk to a mentor or a friend whose feedback you trust.

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#### Building Healthy Creative Habits

**Establish a Routine**: Setting regular hours can help you become more disciplined and get into a productive flow. If you are a night owl and work best in the middle of the night, let that be your designated creative time. You don’t have to worry about other things outside of the studio you have to work on because you will have time aside for that. This is your time to create, and that’s the only thing you should focus on.

**Create a Comfortable Workspace**: Make sure your studio is conducive to creativity—maybe rearrange or reorganize to keep things fresh.

**Journal Your Ideas**: Use an art journal or sketchbook to jot down thoughts and ideas.


Shift your focus from output to process. Sometimes, we’re under pressure to create a commission or an exhibition. If you can, take time to explore freely without worrying about the result. Refocus on creating and that process rather than the pressure of producing.

The most important thing is to be easy on yourself and remember that having creative blocks is part of the process. It may not be our favorite part, but it is how we grow. It may not seem like that but it helps us look at things differently and, over time, leads to growth.

Creative blocks are a natural part of every artist's journey. While they can be challenging, they also push us to explore new paths, deepen our creativity, and grow as artists. Embrace these moments as opportunities to reconnect with your practice, and know that inspiration will find you working again soon.

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Creative blocks are common for artists and can result from stress, burnout, or perfectionism. So how do we overcome them?

Navigating Creative Blocks

Navigating Creative Blocks

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