TRANSITIONS

Everything changes. That is the only constant there is. And, while this concept may appear to be completely logical, it seems it is not natural for us to meet change with the receptivity that we could, or perhaps should. In large part, this is because we’re hardwired to be on the alert for change – a throwback to a time when vigilance to change was key to our very survival.

Often life altering changes – like a deeply personal loss, a transition to a new way of being or a new place to occupy – can bring about some pretty complex inner stirrings that can take us by surprise. 

In my work with artists, huge life changes often have an impact on their creative output and connection to their work. The loss of a loved one or a home, a significant change in our health or the health of someone we care for, can bring about so much grief and internal conflict. We are flooded with emotions, details, choices, and consequences we were not fully prepared to encounter. 

Change has come for us…and we now need to find a way to move with it. And our creative process needs to move with it as well. When we’re profoundly changed, our art-making will also be changed. So how do we meet this time with openness and trust, when it feels so unsettling?

At this time we simply need to accept that we are in transition, first in our lives and then in our creative work. 

This is just one type of transition that artists face. The other occurs when we feel the need to move elsewhere in our creative work. All artists evolve and continue to develop in our art-making, and there will be times when we’re aware of feeling not fully satisfied with the work we’re currently making. We know that we want something more, something different, but we don’t know what that is…yet. We’re fully in the in-between…and that can be a very unsettling place to be. 

This is another time when we need to embrace the transitional space we’re in and continue to move forward in order to access what wants to arrive. 

In a previous blog post called ‘Art and Change’ I talked about how we need to have a solid foundational purpose for making our work. One that isn’t impacted by the inevitable external changes that naturally occur – galleries closing, submission rejections, lack of sales, etc.  

But, what I am speaking to here is more about our internal changes. The ones that come from life altering events, as well as the deep desire to evolve in our creative work. These types of changes – these transitional spaces – require a certain type of mindset to meet them well and remain connected to our creativity and artistic identity. 

Art gives meaning to our lives, and for artists, art-making is a meaning-making process. It is what we access as we connect with intention and purpose in our work. When we’re struggling to find a foothold in our life due to significant changes, we are in a meaning crisis. Everything we thought was meaningful for us has shifted and we’re now trying to find what is meaningful to us from this new place we find ourselves in. 

The truth is if you have experienced, or are currently experiencing, deep grief due to a personal loss, you may have not been able to make your art for some time. You may have found yourself empty and uninspired. You may be flooded with the magnitude of what you’re going through, and simply don’t know how to find a way forward. 

I understand, and want to offer some things that may help.

Please know that this is completely normal and an expected response to something  significant. So the first step is to accept that is where you are. Let go of any negative judgement around it, and find small ways to visit your creativity – without any pressure to “make” anything. 

This is a time when light sketchbook work can be helpful, or just simply showing up to the studio and being in your space. Even these small acts will have meaning for you, and they will begin, over time, to forge a bridge back into your art-making. And, it may take some time, depending on your own process with grief and loss.

As you give space to the transition you’re in, by allowing yourself to explore without pressure to know what it means, or if it’s valuable, you’ll be offering yourself the very best opportunity to connect with what is forming within you – what you’re now finding meaningful. 

At this time, focus on making “transitional” art – art that is responsive to where you are right now, in this deep space of change. As you reflect on it, you can ask yourself, “What am I excited about in this work? What holds interest for me here?” Focus lightly on that, without expectation or trying to define what has emerged as good or bad...just noticing, attending and accepting.

If we can acknowledge when we are in a transitional space in our lives, and/or our art-making, we can meet this time with respect and reverence for what it can offer us. We can also extend the deepest kindness and compassion to ourselves, which will help preserve our identity and self-worth. While this is essential for the support and nurturance of our creative process and development as artists, it is never more important than it is during times of transition.

When we're facing challenges, we often feel compelled to isolate and disconnect from others. Connecting with your artist's community, joining a support group, or confiding in a trusted friend are great avenues of support. Transitions and change feel less difficult when we're not going through them alone.

Remain ever curious and allow yourself to take risks when you’re moving beyond the work you once did. Your new work will transition with you as you move through the grieving/change process. And your new work will be in service of your healing, as it builds new pathways of meaning for you.

This is very much a process of rebirth…and with every birthing process there is an extended period of intense labour before the arrival of new life. This too will pass…as everything changes. That we can trust.

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