On Being Stuck
I’m stuck. Well, not completely, but stuck enough to put this one aside for a couple of days or longer if need be. I walk by and look at it sitting on the easel and am pleased. But I know it’s not finished. Not quite resolved. But that doesn’t necessarily mean I know what to do next. Being stuck isn’t all that bad. It just means deeper thought is required. It only means that a fresher look will yield better insight.
Time to shift gears. Time to do something less intense. I think tomorrow I’ll get the collage papers out again. Perhaps put a few more new works up in my Etsy shop.
Meanwhile, here’s a finished photograph of a recent panel with heavily sculptural elements.
Ritual 49 - Mixed Media on Cradled Panel, 8 x 8 x 2"
Makes me think of something washed up by the surf.
I wish you many smooth creative days, and not too many stuck ones.
An Artist's Journal 
just like yourself when i get stuck i just set it aside.
i also completely redo it (but with painting i guess you can’t and still keep the original available). i change it up many times and take photos and look at it on the computer (for better perspective) and let it ‘bake’ and go back to it over and over.
ya feel it or ya dont and just do it or let it sit or tear it up.
good luck
with stuck
Thanks, Paula! Yes, I’m old enough and therefore brave enough to just paint over the whole thing and go at it again if need be. But I think it’s pretty close. (I think.)
Love that piece! What mediums did you use?
Thanks, Marcy. The one in today’s post is acrylic with paper clay shapes.
That’s awesome, I’ll have to research that. I’m always interested in using new mediums. I love your work by the way! Glad I came across your blog 🙂
It feel very cool and refreshing Martha. I find it visually soothing. very nice
Thank you, Lottie!
This is very attractive to me–it draws me in. I love the varying degrees of texture.
Thank you, Deborah. I’m so happy you like it.
A great way to look at being ‘stuck’. And that highly dimensional canvas is wonderful.
Thank you, Seth! This was the most over the top one I’ve done.
Hi there Martha!
Could even be a shoal of fish in water! a very similar painting used gold colors for the fish and the effect was of the shoal moving through water.
Hope it will become unstuck and move forward!
All the best paintings probably need a struggle to be born who said painting was relaxing?!!
LOL Chris! Painting definitely isn’t always relaxing. In fact, for me it’s offered a whole roller coaster of emotions at one time or another. 😉