Coping with a creative lull.....

Cacti in the snow at Red Rock National Park

Happy New Near! 

I wonder if you felt as jaded as I did at the end of 2022?
I had lost my creative mojo, and was struggling to remain positive about my creative endeavours.

Having launched my online  book making course, which had taken many hours of work to create, I simply ran out of steam. And then I caught covid (again), which totally knocked any remaining stuffing out of me. 

My other half (OH) and I travelled to Canada for Christmas, to see our children. When we left I was still recovering. We had a few days in the desert of Arizona because OH thought it would be a warm and sunny place to get over our jet lag before heading north to Vancouver.

Sedona, Arizona

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It turned out to be below freezing much of the time, with snow on the ground. I never thought to see cacti blanketed with snow. My thermal clothes for the  mountains of Vancouver came in very handy. A few days later we headed north, to the snowy mayhem of the mountains.

We arrived at our daughter's home in Vancouver a few hours before a snowfall of some 12 inches,  stepping out the next morning to a winter wonderland, befitting Narnia.

OH spent hours clearing the drive with a shovel, as did everyone else in the neighbourhood. Icy driveways and steep hills do not make for a good mix. Canadian law demands that you keep the sidewalk clear of snow outside your home too. 

For a couple of days we barely ventured out. Larger branches were breaking and falling in the forest due to the weight of snow, which made for anxious walking.

​Bears in summer...... snow in winter...... that's Canada for you.

December snow, Vancouver

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Beaver Lake, Vancouver

Once we could get out, OH and I made a trip downtown to walk at Beaver Lake.

I have never seen it frozen before. Low cloud on the ice made it very atmospheric.

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The beaver dam, Beaver Lake

The beaver dam was clearly visible emerging from the icy water.


Then the rain came, and washed all the snow away. 
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Vancouver rain

​As the days passed, filled with family activities, card games and shared meals, I began to feel more like my usual self. I reflected on the benefits of taking time out from creative practice, to recharge my batteries, and to take the pressure off for a while. 

Creative lulls
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Creative lulls are normal; even when fighting fit. Most artists experience them intermittently. 

They are hard to predict, but often come after a burst of activity. Recognising this, and finding other ways to pass the time is the best way forward in my experience.

Before leaving home I had filled my period of recovery from covid with different activities, that didn't require too much effort, but that still had a creative element.

Be kind to yourself. Accept the lack of creativity as normal. Spend time with friends, go to the cinema, listen to poetry podcasts, go for walks. I tried all of these.

I visited the Tate to see the beautiful  'Dead Forest Quipu' sculptures by Cecilia Vicuna. A quipu is an ancient Inca device for recording information using different ways of knotting coloured threads. Words expressed without writing. 

I found the work an incredibly moving expression of concern for the future of her native forests. It encouraged me to pursue further my work about the coastal environment.



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Cecilia Vicuna at Tate Modern

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A paper bag book

One evening I learnt how to make a paper bag book, using sandwich bags from the supermarket. This was surprisingly therapeutic. Cutting and sticking is something that feels very calming. 

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paper bag book

I chose random images from old magazines, coupled with words that felt appropriate. It turned into a book about waiting to feel better, and the colour blue. The subconscious has a lot to answer for.

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'Feeling Blue' - a paper bag book

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I enjoyed the ability to hide words inside the openings of the bags, making for a more subtle read.

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Learning on-line

I also took a very good online course on creating a cinematic look using colour in photography with Teresa Freitas on the website Domestika.

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Architectural study by Teresa Freitas

Teresa uses a pastel, slightly dreamlike colour palette in her photographs, and I really enjoyed understanding the theory behind her images. She discusses the role of colour in cinema, and suggests a number of useful tools for approaching colour when processing images and researching locations. 

I experimented with some earlier images from Spain, trying to emulate her work. Trying to emulate the  work of an artist that you admire is a great way to explore new ideas and techniques. 

Cordoba, Spain

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​Whilst abroad I didn't attempt to be creative. And that in itself was a good thing. 

A complete break. Walking and exploring without intent.

​A total refresh.

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Forest stream, Vancouver

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​And now that we are home again I feel ready to jump back onto that creative bandwagon. I don't know what 2023 will bring, but I am hoping to surprise myself with new ideas and goals. 

I feel another dragon book coming on........ what about you?

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