Artist's Block

Artist: A practitioner of fine arts, especially a painter, sculptor, or muscian. (Webster' II New Riverside Desk Dictionary) Block: the sudden stopping of a thought process with no immediate seeable cause.(ibid)

Need I say more? Actually, I tried to say much more, days ago but was suddenly assailed with Writer's Block as well. Which is tough for a non-writer. I can not explain the perversity within the human make-up which causes the brain to go numb in the middle of the creative process: however there are those who claim that this phenomenom is indeed a PART of the creative process. I don't buy it. Did not the magnificent Creator himself simply speak the words "Let there be light!" And, lo, there was light. Light as it was intended to be -- pure and perfect -- none of this drawing in and erasing, painting and wiping out, and in the case of one artist I know -- washing the canvas in hot water and scraping off all the paint. No, He just "said..." and there it was. So, maybe I was trying too hard, maybe I should start over, begin anew...Maybe I should become a rock musician instead. That's it! I was never meant to be an artist.

But then suddenly, out of the grayness, out of the sludge, out of the chaos, came a white horse with the answer to all my prayers. (Why is it my answers always seem to come on white horses?) Just this morning, I felt the magnetic pull of a canvas that has been sitting in the studio, patiently waiting for me to pull it together. (No, this isn't the one I scraped off!!) For weeks it has waited, while I puttered and splattered on other things, things much more serious, more important, more perfect. I was actually afraid to finish it because I thought I might ruin it! How is that for a neurotic artist? Today I picked up a paintbrush, dipped it into the paint, and played a little bit. I was transported to another world. No suffering, no frustration, just joy (and a little dancing! You are lucky you weren't there!) For joy, for joy! It may be coming back. I may be a painter again someday!! And I have finally remembered that, though art is hard work, there must be that element of play, the light touch, the joy.

I have titled this tentatively, Arabian Knight.
It is a 16 x 20 and will be for sale on Ebay sometime next week, if it ever dries. Thank you for your patience.