What do you do when you hit a dry spell?

It happens to me every time I have to pack up my art supplies and get ready to travel. Twice a year I do it and you would think that by now I would have some kind of strategy or plan or trick but I haven't figured it out yet.

Every April I pack up my paints, new art supplies and finished or half finished paintings and load them into the truck for the week long trip back to our home in Saskatchewan from our winter place in Texas.  I am usually just hitting my stride, making lots of art and finding new ways to be creative and then I have to stop and pack.  I always have a project to work on while we travel and this time it was an Art Quilt that needed some beading and embroidery. 

Well I got the art quilt done before we got home and then and managed to haul all the new supplies into my studio.  Then I spent 3 good days rearranging all those supplies.  After I was done I stood there and looked. 

Looked at all that stuff, all those wonderful possibilities and nothing happened.  I couldn't decide what do next.  Should I grab a canvas and paint some more or my sketch book and do some drawing.  Maybe I should get my art journal and just toss some paint around and see what happens.  Nothing happened. 

I wandered into my studio 2 or 3 times a day with great plans to start.  Then wandered out again.  I cleaned my closet, took 2 big bags of cloths to the Salvation Army.  I dug all the raised beds in my garden and greenhouse and emptied my compost bin.  I took the dog for a walk and read a couple books.  Oh and I looked at Pinterest, now is that a time grabber or what? 

Art just wasn't happening and I really hate these dry spells. 

Then this afternoon I grabbed a canvas off the shelf and poured a puddle of yellow ink on it and smeared it all around. 


Hmmmm a start.  I dropped some alcohol ink on it, interesting stuff happened.

I like teal and blue and green gold so I started putting that over the yellow and a painting was born.  More blues and some green and then some orange.  Well I will just let my intuition take me where ever Im supposed to go with this.  At least I'm painting again. 

I have no idea what it will look like when it's done. 

Stay tuned.