Creative flow is a funny animal. Essentially : sometimes it “flows” and sometimes it doesn’t. Additionally, just because a certain idea isn’t flowing now doesn't mean it will always be that way in the future.
Enter scene : Me vs. Rock Lobsters.
3-4 years ago, it seemed like every other person I spoke to suggested I paint a rock lobster. I’d painted plenty of Maine Lobsters [ see here, and here, and here, and here…. ], so why not extend my love of crustaceans to their cousin?
Maybe it was a case of “no one tells me what to do” flaring up, who knows. I just couldn’t get excited about painting them. There was no flow. Other crustaceans stole my creative heart in the meantime, like blue crabs & fiddler crabs.
THEN recently, I was searching The Google for some inspiration (yes, I did just refer to it as “The Google”, and I will continue to do so because it makes me smile for 5 minutes every time I do). I started to realize that rock lobsters exist in a variety of colors & patterns. They aren’t just armless “regular lobsters”. They’re GORGEOUS intricately textured graceful underwater painted-robots. Ta-da! I found my creative flow with the once dreaded rock lobster.
In my sunny studio, beaming with one of my new buddies.
Rock Lobster, Watercolor & Ink
Rock Lobster, Watercolor & Ink
Can anyone else relate to the mystical nature of flow? My mind will be blown if octopi, squid or jellyfish flow for me. For now, they remain in the “no thank you” column.