I have found there are five major areas in which I experience road blocks in creating my artwork. Most of these obstacles are easily overcome by following some simple solutions.
First, and most importantly, lack of time to focus on my work prevents most of my ideas from translating from my head to a physically real state. It seems there are always other roles begging for my time after work. If I sit down to work on my art work, I feel guilty for all of the other jobs I am abandoning. Does the laundry need to be done? Should I take the car for an oil change? Have I paid all the bills? The best solution for this is to lay out a calendar where all the tasks running thru my head have a date attached. Then when I feel guilty I simply tell myself that the laundry is down for Thursday and today is Tuesday so I am “free”.
This leads to my second area of creative oppression. Even if I am able to find an open spot on my daily calendar, the environment in which I am working may not be conducive to creating art. For instance, I may be working in a place where there are constant interruptions and thus constant breaks in thought. I may be dealing with uncomfortable room temperatures, or poor lighting. Even the size of the creative space can put a damper on things. I knew an artist who actually worked in a closet because that was the only space they had available in the house. There was barely room for a sheet of drawing paper on the little table that was crammed in it. So the solution is to identify, or inventa work space that is prime for your creative musings.
Sometimes I have the time and space but simply freeze up about what idea I want to covey in my work. This is usually a derivative of pressure. It can appear in the form of a deadline, or simply a negative comment from an onlooker while a work is in mid-process. I can become paralyzed by self doubt and worry. I deal with this by physically removing myself from the studio and going back to the location of my original inspiration. Time away can provide new perspective on things and renewed stimulation.
I also find that my lack of knowledge regarding various processes can be a barrier to my creative efforts. Often I will have a great idea but when I began to lay out the steps , I realize that I do not have the skillsto complete the piece. For instance, maybe it requires welding, or detailed carpentry work, or a paint process I have never tried. The solution is to find someone to teach me this process if there is time. If the project has a due date that does not allow for growing a certain skill set, then I hire the work out. I also add that process to the list of classes I want to take that year.
Finally, there are certain moments when finances play a part in inhibiting ones work. Most of the time an artist can route around this by asking for donations, repurposing objects, or using less expensive supplies. However, if the project cannot be altered and donations are not available, the artist may have to put the idea on the back burner for a season.