Is it too late to restart my creative journey after a long break?

No, it's not too late. The author, Crista Cloutier, shares her own experience of pushing pause on her creativity and successfully returning to making art, emphasizing that the call to create is an invitation to push PLAY.

How can I overcome the fear and guilt associated with returning to my art?

The article advises taking the pressure off yourself and forgetting about creating a masterpiece. Instead, recognize that the 'little voice' is your muse inviting you to play and reconnect with the joy that art brings.

What's the best way to begin reconnecting with my creativity?

The key is to 'press PLAY' and 'dance to the sound of your own music.' Focus on playing with your muse and rediscovering the joy of creation, rather than immediately undertaking a big project or worrying about perfection.

Restart Your Creativity: How to Get Back to Art After a Pause

An artist recently spoke with me about her work.

She tearfully admitted that she’d been too busy to create new work of any substance.

She was afraid.

Afraid she won’t be able to connect with the muse again.

Afraid she’d made a choice to have a family, a proper job, and now that part of herself; that wonderful wild artist was gone forever.

Being an artist was something she used to do. What right has she to go back now?

Maybe it’s not possible to hit the rewind button on your life?

I understand. I spent many years working as an arts dealer. But I was promoting other people’s work, not my own.

I’d pushed the pause button in my creativity.

Have you ever put the muse on PAUSE?

When I heard the call to return to making art, I succumbed to guilt and fear at first. “It’s too late now,” I told myself. “It takes years to build a creative career. Why, I could be 60 years old before I saw any sort of success!”

But then I went deeper, fast-forwarding into the future.

With any luck, someday I’d be 60 years old anyway. How did I want to spend my time getting there? What did I want to show for it?

That little voice that’s urging you to make new work or rededicate yourself to your creativity isn’t there to make you feel bad or to shame you.

That little voice is your muse inviting you to push PLAY.

Work doesn’t work without play, you know. Especially art work.

So forget about having to create a masterpiece or undertake a big project when you’ve been away from your art for awhile. Forget about the fears and the questions. Take that pressure off, it’s not helpful.

Instead, play with your muse and connect again with the joy that it brings. And then follow that.

It will lead you on a journey that will last all your days.

To restart your creativity, first press PLAY. And then dance to the sound of your own music.

Written by Crista Cloutier, artist mentor + founder of The Working Artist. (learn more about Crista here)