Amuse Your Muse

When there's a gap in the creative process, it's hard not to freak out and think -What's going on here? Why am I stuck? Why is my imagination in neutral? Aahh!!

Usually there's some other process going on in life that requires your focus, but often as not, it's merely a lack of stimulation, especially if you've been working hammer and tongs for a few months and now there's a lull - or a void - that has you staring at a blank page or half-finished piece of work wondering what to do next. And you push it and you force it, and everything you do seems lame or cheesy or just plain boring....

Go out and live!

Now the time has come for you to emerge from your creative coccoon, go out and soak up some life, some interesting experiences and reset your brain... soon enough, you're going to feel the muse creep up behind you and poke you with a stick, and the flow will start again.
Creativity is like the tide, ebbs and flows, and when the tide is out, it's time to go play on the shore.

My favourite kinds of onshore activities still include creativity, but in a different fashion... taking source photos for later compositions, needlework or crafts, looking in interesting galleries and boutiques - I'm not much of a thrill seeker, so I don't feel the urge to go hang gliding or bungee jumping; art is one of the dominating aspects of my life, so I tend toward activities that feed it. As a former performer, I still love to get out and dance, jam with friends, write and compose; but to me, it's all still art. The beauty of it is when I get back to the boards, my other artistic desires have been sated, and the art of the pencil is focused again.

Amuse your muse - let her have a holiday.