What To Do When You Lose your Painting Mojo!

As an artist there is an ongoing struggle to 'find your own style'. There's fine line between being inspired by other artist's work and copying them. By painting regularly and experimenting with materials and techniques, an individual style will often appear.

Sometimes I feel like I'm on a roll! Producing artwork I am happy with. But other times I feel like my work becomes clumsy and childlike (not in a good way!). Perhaps I'm trying too hard. When this happens I know its time to shake things up!

I take one of my larger and less successful paintings on paper and cut it into four pieces. There are always elements of paintings that looked good, and therefore make interesting backgrounds for new repurposed artwork.

One of my recent and favourite reworked painting was of bright tropical fish. I really liked the colour combination I hade used. This small painting became an inspiration for a larger work.

Through playing around and not being too precious, often new ideas emerge. One artwork leads onto the next. Hopefully refining techniques and ideas along the way.

The main thing is never to get disheartened when your artwork does not go the direction you had imagined. I'ts important to paint through the struggle. On the other side something exciting and unexpected can appear.

Surrealism emerges! Originally this was a painting of swimming fish, untill I painted owls over the top.

This painting was inspired by a smaller study. I was able to spend more time and refine it onto larger paper.

A larger version of a reworked painting. I spent more time painting this one.

Four smaller paintings that were created out of one larger piece cut up.

This small reworked painting, inspired larger ones. I liked the composition and colours.

I was't happy with this painting so decided to cut it into four to make new work!