This winter, I experienced something that rarely happens to me — a genuine painting block.
I felt directionless. Unmotivated. Dissatisfied with everything I started.
It’s unusual for me to abandon a painting before it’s finished. I usually push through, even when things get uncomfortable. But this time? I walked away from four paintings in a row. Four.
My knee-jerk reaction was dramatic: Clearly I need to reinvent myself.
A new style. New subject matter. A complete overhaul.
But after sitting with it (and feeling slightly sorry for myself for a bit), I realized something much simpler — and much more grounding.
I don’t need to become someone else.
I just need to keep being me… perhaps with a few small shifts.
It still amazes me that after all these years of painting, I can land in this place. But the truth is, I’m not alone. Nearly every painter friend I’ve spoken to has experienced some version of this. Creative droughts are part of the rhythm.
So instead of fighting it, I decided to gently move through it.
Here are a few things that helped get the creative energy flowing again:
1. Gesso-ing Out
This felt radical.
I had a number of older paintings that were “okay” but hadn’t sold during their time in galleries. Some I had held onto for years. They weren’t bad… but they weren’t quite right either.
One afternoon, I made a bold decision and started covering them in gesso.
Every. Single. One.
At first it felt shocking. But once I got going, the sense of lightness was tremendous. It was as if I had cleared physical and emotional space at the same time. Some of the canvases will be reborn as new paintings. Others have been let go entirely.
There is something incredibly freeing about starting over.
2. Colour Experiments
I spent time making colour swatches — especially exploring new recipes for greens. Since I paint a lot of landscapes, greens are essential… and surprisingly complex.
Mixing without pressure, without the expectation of a finished painting, reminded me why I love paint in the first place. Just pigment. Just possibility.
3. A Gallery Crawl
I visited several of our major local galleries to see what artists are creating right now.
Not to compare. Not to compete.
Simply to look. To absorb. To remember that art is alive and constantly evolving. Seeing other artists pushing in their own directions was deeply energizing.
4. Gathering New Subject Matter
Finally, I went on a few day trips to collect fresh inspiration.
My favourite was a sunny snowshoe outing on one of our local mountains. The light on the snow, the crisp air, the quiet — it felt expansive. Exactly what I needed.
The first painting inspired by that day will be featured in my next blog entry.
Creative blocks can feel heavy when you’re inside them. But sometimes they are simply signals — invitations to clear space, to experiment, to refill the well.
If you’ve been feeling stuck in your own creative work (or any work at all), I hope this encourages you. Sometimes the answer isn’t reinvention.
Sometimes it’s just a small shift… and the courage to keep going.