HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND RECOVER FROM A CREATIVE BLOCK.

It's November 2010, and the year is drawing to an end. It's been a difficult year for me, having moved to Florida from Texas, along with many other changes in my life have made 2010 very challenging. However, I hope that you have had all your dreams come true this year, and that you  are winding down, planning your new adventures for 2011. As you know, balloon art is not always just about the money. Sure, we all need cash, but a career as an artist has many layers, and money is only one of the motivators that often drives artists forward. We are motivated differently in life, often relentlessly driven by the creative process itself. We live to see what we created. We get a profound sense of accomplishment when others view and are utterly amazed by our work.  The payoff is in the appreciation. We strive to be more creative with each new attempt but sometimes as artists, we are faced with what I can only assume is the same for writers. There is a condition where our creative senses become blocked and stagnant. This is called "Writer's Block" when you are an author. I call it "Creative Block" for artists. It's almost as if your mind becomes stuck, and nothing will help it get unglued! You can't come up with new ideas, and your absolutely not interested in creating anything. It seems to effect us creative types at the most inappropriate times. For those that make their livings doing anything other than being creative, it's probably difficult to understand just exactly what a creative block really is. I have come to recognize this temporary state of mental inability over the years as I have pursued one creative endeavor after another. It seems to affect me most often around the holidays, when I am busiest with clients and cranking out balloon sculptures like a Keebler Elf Cookie Factory! As a full time artist, entrepreneur and instructor, I find it almost impossible to maintain my creative edge 100% of the time. What does a creative block feel like? How do you know if you are experiencing one, and how can you fix it?
Well, for starters, your normal level of enthusiasm begins to decline. It's not FUN anymore. Suddenly, it feels a lot more like WORK! Your motivation to create anything seemingly disappears, and your general sense of well-being from all of your artistic pursuits don't seem to provide much fulfillment anymore. This is one of the dangers of maintaining a work/performance schedule that consists mainly of  line-work, which is what you are doing when you are working at a special event or in a store or restaurant, twisting balloons for tips for the purpose of  entertaining large crowds. Hours of endless repetition twisting balloons can be exhausting, both mentally and physically. If you find that your interest in balloon artistry is suddenly wavering and your experiencing a creative block, my first suggestion is to check your schedule. If you are working so much that you have become a one-man production factory, then you may want to consider switching things up so you don't become burned out. Where line-work can be financially rewarding, it can also drain your spirit and leave you emotionally flat. I believe it is very important to pace yourself, especially during the holiday season, and maintain strict guidelines when dealing with potential clients. For example, if you know that a client wants you to work 12 hours on a Saturday and your best work usually starts to look like a nuclear disaster after 4 hours of non-stop work, then don't be bad to yourself and agree to take on that job. We all have our limits, and nobody other than the balloon artists in our industry understands just how physically demanding this type of work can be. I don't ever book an event where I will be expected to work more than 6 hours. That's my limit, and if I want to stay fresh then I acknowledge this rule every time I take an assignment. The other thing I feel is important is that you take time to look at other artists work. Inspiration comes from admiring other artists in your field. If you want to get through your creative block, then I suggest you make it a point to look at what other artists are doing in your field. Sometimes, seeing our art forms from someone else's perspective is exactly what we need to take our work to the next level. Make it a habit to look for other artists that inspire you at least once a week. You may find that simply exposing yourself to their particular style of artwork may just be the thing you were missing. The point is that burnout is very high in this profession. Search for ways to remain inspired. It is just as important to learn to pace yourself as it is to practice new designs or develop your business skills. Balloon artistry relies heavily on repetition, so it's important that you run your business in a way that allows you to unplug from your assignments and relax your mind and body. You will find in this business that less is truly more. For me, taking a few days of down time and leaving the balloons in the corner usually renews me and leaves me feeling fresh and focused so that I can perform for my next set of clients. I am careful to not take on more than I can comfortably handle, and I make it a point to pay attention to things other than balloon art on my days off. Usually, after a few days of something different my creative block goes away and I am ready to begin again. If you have any ideas or comments that would help with creative block for balloon artists, please feel free to leave a comment. Any new information that helps the artists in the balloon industry better represent the industry itself would be greatly appreciated!

=RICK=