Pushing Limits: Resistance
When inspiration doesn't come and resistance rears its ugly head, creating art can feel impossible. But as artist Anna Deavere Smith once wrote, “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.”
I remember in art school the daily resistance we all felt at having to get to the studio and paint. We received no support from the professors on this subject despite all the complaining and what we were told is how important it is to paint and paint a lot. Daily would be great even if it was only for a short bursts. Better to paint a lot in even in small bits than to do nothing
Artists can have the habit of waiting for inspiration in order to start and while you may think that is a good thing, it actually isn’t. When you realize that it often comes along during the process, you get the point. Here's my strategy for showing up with intention on the days when making art feels most difficult.
I often spend the first bit of time when I arrive at the studio just puttering. It helps me stay organized in the studio and it just helps push back the resistance of getting out all the supplies and beginning, whether it is to work on something in progress or start something new. I may sweep the floor, read something to inspire me or put music on for the same.
So, why does one go through the pain of pushing back against resistance? Because rather than it being easier to just stay at home or find some other chore to do, for most artists it’s because the discomfort of not doing what you are called to do is way worse. Being an artist is a calling which does not mean that is also not a career, but a career you can change….a calling, if you ignore it, can cause you real pain. When I have not painted for a bit due to my life situation it can elicit an actual sense of physical discomfort. When I paint, it’s more than just a job. It’s a real internal need to communicate, express and create. But there is a cost to it. Especially I think, for the non-conceptual abstract painter since it is about painting the invisible. It requires a deep dive into feelings and sensations and body memory and it is sometimes difficult to pull that out of oneself. I liken it to a spiritual practice and have often called it so. When done regularly and with patience I always come away with knowledge about myself and my experience as a human being living in the world today. In the immediate moment, I really don’t know what it is I am digging out of myself, but once a piece is done and I can look at it from a distance, I have become discerning enough to see it.
The beauty of art though is that it is way more than a way to understand oneself for oneself. It also is a gift to others when they are able to feel themselves in the work. This can happen often with non-conceptual art as it is not a literal reference to something physical. It leaves opportunity to see what matters to them, how it makes them feel, and they always get what they need. Art can reflect the wonder, the beauty, the pain and the complexity or simplicity of life back. It can also simply bring peace, hope and beauty into their lives.
Pushing past the discomfort of resistance isn't easy, but time and again I’ve proven to myself that showing up in my studio regularly leads to creativity I couldn’t have accessed otherwise. I’ve learned to replace waiting for inspiration with rituals and practices that help me engage mind, body and spirit. When we believe in ourselves and cultivate self-awareness in the process of creation, our art becomes its own reward that we can then share openly with the world.