Cranky...

It's been one of those weeks. You  know the kind. I wandered in and out of my studio or sat down with a sketchbook and ....nothing. Not that I didn't do anything this week, in fact I did everything... but paint!  Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am in constant motion. My partner and I have been rebuilding a house, really it's the second home that we have rebuilt. It seems I have this need to knock down walls and redesign any room that I walk into. Fortunately, together, we have acquired the know how and tools to accomplish our vision.
Weeks like this come and go and I declare at least a half dozen times that "I'll never paint again...!"
I'm out of step out, out of rhythm. My paint brush might as well be a 2 x 4. Colors muddy together, images get obscured and I get cranky.
I've learned to walk away and choose to do something else. Believe it or not I have found that to be the healthiest way to cope. Just like a toddler about to grow, the awkward stumbling moments usually lead to change. The irritation is necessary for me to move on. Rather than bemoan what is,  I have learned to accept this pause, redirect it temporarily and with great expectation wait for what is to come...for it always does. I truly bristle at the term "artist block". It's not helpful. I see it more as a pause before continuing. Being creative is a way of life not a thing I do. Whether I'm building, cooking, gardening, playing my guitar or painting, the artistry is there entwined in my DNA.
I'm looking forward to what my imagination has waiting for me...