Your Well Won't Run Dry. Here's Why.

I often hear artists express a common fear: What if the well runs dry?

We pour so much of ourselves into our work, and the idea of that flow ceasing can be terrifying. But I'm here to tell you, the well doesn't run dry.

It changes. It shifts. And it's always, always waiting for you to find new sources.

I hold-tight to a lesson from journalism school: My professor assigned us to write about something mundane -- dishwater. I chose to write about the scent of sudsy water, and how it vividly transported me back to family gatherings, hearing the women's laughter and conversations as they cleaned up.

My professor was right.

I did find the most interesting story in the most every-day subject. I take that same approach when I'm creating art: Start with one simple word, topic, or idea, and let it flow into endless branches.

Tapping into the ever-flowing source

Creativity isn't a mystical, finite substance reserved for a chosen few. It's the act of bringing something new into existence, something that wasn't there before.

And the secret to a long, thriving creative life? It's about how deeply you tune in to life itself.

The most successful artists I know, the ones who consistently produce compelling work over many years, aren't waiting for lightning to strike. They're relentlessly present.

They're:

• Paying attention: Truly seeing the world around them.

• Looking: Not just glancing, but observing with intent.

• Questioning: Always asking "why?" or "what if?".

• Soaking it up: Absorbing experiences, emotions, and observations like a sponge.

They take these raw experiences – even the most ordinary ones – and transform them. They re-envision, re-package, and re-create, turning the familiar into something entirely new.

Let me share a couple of examples from my artist friends:

• Claire Halenbeck, who's in the Galapagos Islands this week shared a series of fresh sketches. She captured the wildness and freedom of the place not just through its vibrant nature, but through her uninhibited marks and spontaneous energy. She wasn't just drawing what she saw; she was drawing how it made her feel.

• There's Denise Mortensen. She didn't travel the world for inspiration. She simply looked at the tubs of paint and supplies on her studio shelves. From those seemingly ordinary items, she created a dynamic series by re-imagining their patterns, rhythms, and colors. She found new ideas by looking inward at her materials and transforming them.

You see? Inspiration can be found by going around the world, or just across your studio. The well doesn't run dry; it just requires you to keep observing, keep questioning, and keep making. This active engagement with life will keep you fresh and excited about both living and making art.

What new source of inspiration are you going to explore this week?

Always creating,

Bev

P.S. Ready to keep your creative well overflowing? My creativity coaching and workshops can show you how. Click here & discover how we can work together.

P.P.S. Join us for Marks, Layers, Color: Your Free Abstract Art Sneak Peek. Get a taste of what it's like to paint with me in Santa Fe. Details below.