Creative Frustration

So it's been a while now that I have been feeling frustrated with my work, like writer's block, you know, but for a visual artist. Visual artist's block, if you will. And this is also one of the reasons I have been posting so little here, as well. But I had a bit of a breakthrough this week. I finally came to an important realization about my work.

I think the main thing is that apart from the stuff I create for my etsy shop, I have been doing collage and mixed media for a very long time. And it is quite different from the work you see in my shop.

mixed media collage (copyright by me, please do not steal)

I'll backtrack a little here. Since I was a tot, I have always been creating some sort of visual "art." Collaging, drawing, painting, tracing my favorite illustrations, etc. I have also been collecting and obsessing over paper goodies for almost as long. In high school, I started collaging zines and creating collaged displays for my bedroom walls. I didn't realize mixed media/collage was actually considered a "legitimate" art form until I discovered Robert Rauschenberg and Joseph Cornell in my late teens. And when I did discover them, I mean, WOW. I just fell in love.

Throughout college, though a film major, I took art courses, from painting and ceramics to lithography. And my film studies enriched my photography (another love of mine). Then, six or seven years ago I started using a new mixed media technique I had learned in a workshop. I began creating these mixed media pieces, mainly utilizing image transfers. And this is still one of my favorite techniques.

mixed media collage (copyright by me, please do not steal)

Since I have always loved paper, I have also wanted to make greeting cards since I as long as I can remember. Loved making them for friends and family. Then about a year ago, after I discovered Etsy and the nifty Gocco, I realized I could make that little dream come true. I opened up my shop and started creating my paper goods!

Once I began doing that, I stopped creating my mixed media works. Not on purpose, it just kinda happened slowly. For the past few months, I have been feeling very frustrated, unable to come up with new ideas, lacking inspiration. I knew of course, it was partly due to the fact that I had stopped making my mixed media work. But I realized this week the main source of the frustration was due to the different ways I approach the work.

When I am making mixed media/collage pieces, I don't approach the work with a final design in mind. I simply gather my materials and begin selecting images and start putting them together. The work just shapes itself. I go along, layering, adding, until I achieve a result that feels complete.

When I am making work for my shop, my approach is completely different. Besides the considerations of materials cost, time expended (time=money) and what will sell, I will attempt to design a final product... I will have to create a screen with which to print my images. I have to think it out and design it and come up with an idea. And this approach is so different than the way I create my other work.

And so this had been my stumbling block! I realized this when, in a fit of frustration, I pulled out my mixed media supplies and set to work making a few new pieces. My method is to just let the piece come together on its own. I can't believe I didn't make this connection before! So then I got some colorful papers and began collaging some simple but cute notecards. It felt so liberating! I was just putting the pieces together, moving them around, letting the colors and lines dictate each piece until it felt complete.

So now I have to make sure I strike a balance with my work. And maybe I have to rethink my approach to the way I design products for my shop. Please share your thoughts and ideas with me in the comments below! I'm sure most of you have felt creative frustration before, and I welcome all of your opinions and advice!