top of page

The Daunting White “Canvas”

Writer: carolyn landcarolyn land

“I have two or three days of some real dismal dragging around hoping that something will get together and strike a spark.”                                                                                                                                           Richard Diebenkorn

Have you ever just stood and looked at a blank “canvas” and just did not know what to do?  Yes, that happens to all of us.  First, sometimes you just need a rest period, so take a break from the studio and do something else.  Inspiration will come.

Photograph by FL artist Carolyn Land

Roots


Photograph by FL artist Carolyn Land

Tree Bark


Having an understanding of what motivates your work can be a real asset when you are blocked.  You can go to the source.  While gardening I can find: entwined roots that will remind me of line, the primary “Element of Design”.  I can see color and shape in the bark of a tree, or the texture on a walkway.

pot for blog (2)

I collect pottery: while I dust, I appreciate the shape of the piece, the subtle colors in the glaze, and think hum…  Inspiration can come from many places, even house work!

Understanding where your “Creative Spirit” comes from, and knowing what motivates your work…that which you are passionate about, helps when the creative juices are blocked

Some practical suggestions:

  1. Go to the source of your passion.

  2. Paint your canvas a color. Don’t know what color… give a color name to your mood, mix up three values of that color, and cover your substrate.

  3. Lay out a format and let it speak to you.

  4. Wet your surface and just drop in paint and see what happens.

  5. Draw a picture with your non dominant hand.

Share what you do when creative block seems to stop your work.

Mixed Media painting by FL artist Carolyn Land

The Inner Nest


“I go to my studio every day.  Some days the work comes easily.  Other days nothing happens, yet on the good days the inspiration is only an accumulation of all the other days, the nonproductive ones.”       Beverly Pepper

 
 
 

Comments


hublogo-300x54.png

Represented by

The Hub on Canal

132 Canal Street
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168

Follow me on 

  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Subscribe here to get my latest posts

Thanks for submitting!

© Images and content belong exclusively to Carolyn A. Land and may not be duplicated, distributed, sold or used in any way. Copyright © 2021 Carolyn A. Land. All rights reserved.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
bottom of page