Creation Fatigue, a Luxury

‘Creation fatigue’ is an expression I just made up myself. But I think you can already guess what I mean by that. It means that you have been able to work so consistently, over a longer period of time, that you have had the chance to produce one or more artworks that are actually a step forward in your artistic development. But not only that, you also have been able to give it everything you got and…. in the end you have reached that finishing line, where you know that you have plateaued and that you are temporarily empty. Drained. You have given it all and there is nothing left. No matter how hard you try, every time your brush hits the canvas, it is doomed to fail. No worries, though: It is then time to feel content about what you have accomplished and to recharge, by doing completely different things and patiently waiting for the creative pilot light to turn into a blaze again.

I seldom get to this point, simply due to the fact that a stay-at-home-mum rarely gets the chance to give all her undisturbed attention to her work. There always seems to be a reason for me not to have more than two or three hours a day to dedicate to my art. Sometimes not even that, sometimes weeks pass before I can even start thinking about my work again.

Now, this is not a complaint, since it is what it is for now. On the contrary: I actually want to express my happiness about having been able to work a lot over the past six weeks! In these weeks I have built my first website, made a Google My Business-account, started blogging four days back, did several new paintings and I was able to sell various prints and drawings. And while doing this, I remembered how alive working makes me feel! I walk up straight, have tons of energy and I sing when nobody can hear me. And all I can think of is doing more. I can even feel a period of creation fatigue coming up! Isn’t that a good sign? I think so too! 

Eva Mout, Ursus Art