Oil pastel portrait drawing

If you’re feeling stuck in a rut with your art, like I did for several years, I highly recommend trying something new – even if you think you won’t like it.

When I started drawing back in the spring last year, I fully didn’t expect to like it, let alone love it as much as I do now. For years, I hated to draw, and didn’t find any pleasure in doing it. If I had to draw, I’d rush through it to get to the fun part – painting.

So, for me to suddenly turn my back on painting, and switch to drawing has been quite an eye opening surprise to me.

Before I started drawing, I didn’t realize how burnt out with painting I had become, but looking back, I was struggling. I knew deep inside I didn’t want to quit being an artist, but I was soooooo over it at the same time. I felt dead inside every time I picked up a brush or knife.

For 3 or 4 years, I kept thinking I just needed to work harder, and paint more. I kept telling myself I was lazy, and had to snap out of it. I thought maybe if I could just come up with a new and different series or if I switched from acrylic to oils that would do the trick.

Then I came up with the not so brilliant idea that if I would just plunge deeply into painting, and make it through the slump I was in, it would fix everything. So for about 8 months in 2021, I forced myself to paint daily, even though I had lost all interest, and my heart wasn’t in it. It made things worse. I only achieved utter exhaustion, which, in turn, made me depressed. I was constantly beating myself up in my head, and never felt good about myself. How could something I love make me so miserable? I didn’t know, but all I wanted to do is lie in bed, and rest. So I did.

Oil pastel portrait drawing titled Eloquence
9×12 inches
135 lb watercolor paper
Available here

Then came drawing, and a whole new world opened up to me. I instantly came back to life, and the lethargy I constantly felt was long gone in my rearview mirror. I was excited about creating art once again.

My brain was happy because I started researching how to use oils pastels – I had only used them in my abstracts for making marks and lines, never had I actually drawn with them before. I found new (to me) artists on Youtube to follow, and I binge watched drawing video after video.

Men series
These painting have all been sold.

I began brainstorming ideas for several new drawing series, and my creative flow was back in full force. Now that a year has passed, my passion for drawing hasn’t waned. I can sit for hours, and never get tired of drawing. The more I draw, the more I crave drawing. I don’t want to put my drawing “toys” away, even at 2am, when I know I have to get up early. Can’t get enough.

Now that I’ve had a long break from painting, I’m starting to miss it a wee bit. I might just dig out my oil paints soon, and paint some loose, fun portraits with them. I’ve also been hankering to do some figure drawings or paintings, which I haven’t explored deeply…yet. I don’t like drawing/painting clothes, typically, so lately, I’ve been experimenting with some nude sketches in my art journal. It’s been something I really enjoy. Who knew? Another surprise.

Letting go of the old, and making changes are working for me, and I look forward to what’s to come. I hope my story inspires you to try something different, if you’re feeling stuck with your art.

Have a lovely creative weekend. 🙂

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Other places to find me online.

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