Blog #3: How My anti-Art Block Plan is going
Hi fellow creatives!
My first week back from Spring Break was a success overall! I thought I’d update you on how my strategies from my previous post: [insert title here] are working out for me so far. Granted, it's only been a week, but I'm proud of my productivity in the studio and my commitment to self-care.
Be Realistic
I've realized the importance of being realistic with myself. While having a full morning/evening routine sounds like a good idea, it was unrealistic for me to follow the six steps I’d created for myself every night. Being a college student means having an unpredictable schedule and some late nights. Instead of concrete steps, I've opted for a few must-dos and some general ideas. For example, my morning and evening skincare routine is non-negotiable for me, but I try to avoid scrolling before bed. Instead, my routine might include reading, crocheting, or sketching, maintaining the routine's essence while making it more realistic and achievable.
My New Approach to Making
One thing that led to burnout before break was putting too much pressure on my art. I was so worried about my Senior Show and creating a consistent body of work that I'd freak out if the art took a new direction. I use a great Julia Cameron quote to remind me that my responsibility as an artist is to create: “Good? Bad? None of my business.” I can’t stress about the outcome when I'm still in the process. Art is more about the process than the final product, and it's important to embrace that. Be gentle with your creativity—the only responsibility is to be creative. Don’t impose parameters or pressure on your creativity because that will wear on you mentally.
What I’ve Accomplished
Last week, I finished a painting and started a new one, created three new screenprint spreads, printed on ten different wood panels, and gathered tons of reference imagery for future paintings and collages. Not only that, but I stayed committed to my content calendar, worked out three times last week, woke up at 7 am each day, and crossed more things off my to-do list last week than I have all semester. This shows that if you set yourself up for success and stay committed, you'll be on the road to success at the very least.
Coming Up:
Reveal of my newest painting
An inside look at my collage process
More artwork added to my portfolio
Thank you for reading! Stay creative!
audrey <3
