This is a story about reclaiming artwork and over-coming an art block caused by outside influences.
To catch you up briefly, I attended a music festival as a live artist in 2019 and was treated so badly by the production crew I left the event early and never finished the art piece I started at the event, essentially abandoning it in a corner of my studio for years. You can read all of Part 1 here: @breelikeatree/overcoming-an-artist-block-part-1
2022 rolls around. Years have past. The abandoned painting still sits behind stacks of canvas, ignored. In March of that year I finally finished a 2.5 year long endeavor to finish my largest painting to date and my first completed commission. To finish that commission took so much internal effort and taught me a lot about believing in myself. Finishing that piece really empowered me creatively. It lit a fire under my booty to see many of my in-progress, unfinished pieces sitting against a wall in my studio to a completed status. I started going through my canvas stacks and finishing some art up.
You can read about my two and half year long commission story here: @breelikeatree/2-5-year-art-endeavor-finally-reaches-an-end-i-did-it-part1
In going through canvases and finishing up waiting art I was also sorting through and releasing pieces that no longer served me, or things I knew I would never finish because my style had changed. When I pulled out my forgotten Guitarfish Tahoe piece. I contemplated finally releasing this artwork that had plagued my studio corner for years, taunting me, reminding me of my horrendous experience at the festival.
Because the initial idea behind the piece was something that sparked joy in my heart and brought up lovely Tahoe memories, I didn’t want to let it go. I wanted to find a way to re-claim it, to rescue it from its Guitarfish grasp. I eventually came to a decision. I decided I would completely re-do the whole piece from start to finish. No more wood board (actually in doing this on wood in the beginning I found I disliked painting on wood and perfer canvas much better anyway). Remove the Guitarfish name, a small redesign to make it feel like mine again. Make it feel like something that resonates with my style and inner voice now.
So I began. In part of my healing process to reclaim it, I painted over the old board to completely erase it. While I planned to throw it away, painting over and erasing it helped release the old art and make way mentally and creatively to start the new one. In the years since that festival I had gained lots of new skills, like drawing out in pencil on the canvas before I start to help advance my painting process and complete a piece quicker. I had refined my detailing skills too and I wanted to use some of those skills to see the new painting itself evolve as my skills had.
painting over the old piece on wood
Releasing the old wood piece. bye!
the new canvas redrawn and ready for paint
Starting the new canvas fresh
Just starting the piece anew on a blank canvas, no more wood and making it completely mine felt amazing. I had broken through the block! I had a desire to see this piece completed, finally. I was happy about it again and ready to paint.
I had officially re-claimed this piece as mine.
In keeping true to the Lake Tahoe vibe, I only painted on this piece live while at events in the Tahoe area. It created a deeper connection to Tahoe for me and my love for the place. It also created a fun link between my Tahoeian viewers and me. Actually, surprisingly, but also fitting; the second time I took this piece out to paint live in Tahoe, I sold it to a Lake Tahoe local. I couldn’t believe it! Long before I saw its finished glory, I knew where it would be after it’s done and completed. I had so much joy in my heart to sell this piece to someone who lives in and loves Lake Tahoe as much as I do. It felt so right. My heart was full and complete.
First time bringing the new re-claimed piece out to live paint
Live painting on my re-claimed piece
The buyer, a fellow artist in the festival scene, patiently waited from May when he decided to buy the piece at the event until October when the piece was officially finished. That can be a long wait for a high price item! I am always appreciative to my supporters and collectors who patiently let me flow creatively, even if that means waiting awhile. He ended up being even more patient then expected, as he wanted to do an in person delivery/hand off after I reached out in October with the finished piece; but our schedules didn’t match up until January! So it wasn’t until January that he finally had the piece in his hands. We also did a trade for a small percentage of the payment, and he made me a neat wire wrapped pendant of craved labradorite!
Delivery hand off of the finished piece to my collector
the wire wrapped pendant I got in trade :)
Finishing this piece was a closure on my bad experience, it allowed me to be able to heal from it. And I learnt how to move past blocks I let the outside world set up in front of me. I’ve also grown and learnt not to let the world create those blocks for me anymore. And I’ve learnt a lot about how to break through my own blocks faster when they do arise. Every year there are so many lessons for me to learn not only as an individual but also as an artist. I can’t wait to see the lessons 2023 has in store for me, I’m ready!
Thanks for taking the time to read about my story and how I over came a years long artist block on a particular piece. Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever faced a creative block, how it happened and how you over came it.
Peep the finished piece below :)
Finished photos!
THE TAHOE HEARTBEAT - 2022
24in x 24in acrylic on canvas
