Creative resistance is a universal experience for artists and creatives across all disciplines. Whether you're a writer, painter, musician, or engaging in any other creative pursuit, encountering mental and emotional barriers is almost inevitable. In this blog post, I delve into the nature of my own creative resistance and my strategies to overcome it.
For me, creative resistance takes many forms; procrastination, self-doubt, fear of starting, and feeling overwhelmed with the scope of my work and my business.
I actually find the less art I do, the more resistance I have. Likewise, the more art I do, eventually, the less resistance I experience. And once overcoming resistance transforms into momentum I hold on for dear life!
The first moments of my latest large scale artwork. The creative resistance was so strong with this one after the Christmas and New Year break.
…But pushing through resistance eventually leads to momentum and progress.
I believe one of the most common sources of resistance for myself is the fear of not living up to expectations and listening to too much noise in my head. These expectations are predominantly my own, and can range from being specifically related to my work; is this artwork showing the true level of my current skills? Is this artwork in alignment with my vision for this collection? Or the process; Am I also having fun and enjoying the creative process, not always focussing on the business goals? Is my creative space setup perfectly before I can begin?! “Maybe I need to make another coffee first…”
I am also familiar with these other roots of creative resistance:
Perfectionism - both in my work and how I am setting up my business
Comparison - including social media doom scrolling!
Overwhelm - the sheer amount of possibilities in creative work can sometimes feel daunting, leading to indecision and resistance. There are so many ideas and it feels like so little time!
Sometimes I wonder if creative resistance is harder to overcome given the season of life I am in, two young children, still lacking a full night’s sleep most of the time, busy family life, limited quality time with my husband. But, no, everyone can experience resistance and artist block in any season!
I have come to accept that time is still time, and the only thing I need to worry about is to make decisions which moves me closer towards what I want to achieve for the moment or the day.
Recognising resistance as a normal, and somewhat essential, part of the creative process has been a game changer for me. Accepting it is the first part in moving past it, then taking a moment to make a decision towards beginning anyway!
I also set manageable goals based on the pockets of time I have to work on each artwork. For example, I recently started a large scale painting, 122 x 91 cm. Overwhelmed at first, I thought, well I'll spend the first hour getting the toned background and charcoal drawing of the work down first. Then I moved onto the next pocket of time; painting in the grisaille (one tone, light and darks). By the time I was halfway through the first step, I didn't even have to think about the second! I had found my momentum and the pay off of pushing through that resistance was so much greater.
And progress leads to joy.
Learning to work with resistance was worth it. (Detail of my first oil painting of 2024).
Some other strategies I have employed at various times include:
Embracing imperfection: I have perfectionist traits and so I have learned to give myself permission to make mistakes and create imperfect work. This mindset has freed me from the shackles of perfectionism and overthinking.
Mindfulness and Reflection: I am still learning how to bring mindfulness into my daily practice, however when I do stay present and focused during my creative work it makes a difference how quickly I get lost into the momentum and joy of creating.
Seek Inspiration: Reading, visiting galleries, taking a moment to daydream in a coffee shop or exploring nature often sparks new ideas and perspectives.
Connect with Others: Listening to others struggles and successes, or sharing about my own, with my community of local creatives has provided support, inspiration and a sense of belonging.
Take Breaks: Regular breaks, stepping back from my work, and time away have been essential to prevent burnout and refreshing my perspective.
Creative resistance is a common, albeit challenging, part of my artistic journey, and I am certainly not the only one. By acknowledging its existence and employing strategies to navigate it, we can continue to grow and produce meaningful work.
Remember, each step forward, no matter how small, is progress in your creative journey.
And if you have read this far, one of my all time favourite quotes:
“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working” - Pablo Picasso
I would love to keep this conversation going, so please comment below or send me an email if there is anything you would love to share!
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