How to Get Unstuck 

I just LOVE how you speak to us. Thank you for your freedom and inspiration.

You‘re so cool making critical comments on your own „stuff“!! It‘s not the first time And it‘s really easy to follow your thoughts and very helpful for my own process. Thank you Louise! I like the way you are so not pretentious about your art... maybe about in art in general...

Thanks Louise. You just got me out of a wobbly hole. Why is it so deeply difficult to let go? Lots to think about around this issue. Brilliant.

I really appreciate you explaining your process. So many painters on RU-vid either speed up the video so one can't see all the steps or they don't really articulate their process. Louise, I love your paintings!

Your videos take me on an endless journey, Louise. So many doors open on the way. Thank you.

Oooohhh!! I too love the color combinations❤❤❤❤

Love the way you let us see the real you, the artist. Your confidence is almost contagious.

Your experience and knowledge that you pass on is invaluable. I love watching your videos there is such warmth about you and your paintings are fab.

Thank you so much Louise. Your videos are the highlight of my week. I find your honesty and willingness to share the challenges and joys of being an artist so authentic and true. I am taking Nick Wiltons CVP class. It is presenting its own challenges for me as a beginning painter. When I check in with you and your videos they always seem to address the issues I have been experiencing. Your gentle and supportive approach is invaluable.

One of my biggest problems addressed - not wanting to let go of anything that looks even half way good. I know what I should do, but I have to hear it and see it done. Thank you Louise.

Oh yes, the stuck zone. I have visited that place often. On one hand, I am happy to hear that I am not alone in this, but I also question where the heck the feeling of preciousness comes from. If painting is to bring me joy (which it does most of the time), why in the heck would I not want to let go of things that are annoying me? That feeling of something being too precious to let go of is twice as annoying as the actual rough snag I hit. I tell myself a hundred times a painting, let go! If I indeed manage to let go, things begin to flow again. My inner critic, the inner child, ego, whatever I call it at the moment, is such a finicky thing. I think it is a hoarder. It wants all the marks, good or bad. LOL

Thank you Louise. I am working in Nick Wilton’s CVP workshop where we are working on 3 boards for weeks. Being a realistic painter for all of my art life, and attempting to do abstract, I find that I am completely befuddled. I love the freedom of abstracts although I have no idea how to do them, but I continue to love landscapes and portraits. Playing on the boards is surprisingly difficult for me and somehow I end up doing landscapes. The interesting thing is that they come out of my imagination instead of copying what is in front of me...something totally new for me. For this week’s homework, I have completely wiped out about 3 passes and started new on these crazy abstracts I am attempting. I still have no idea what I am doing, but I’m determined to stick with trying to paint abstracts to try to be free in painting. Hopefully, being completely uncomfortable will enable me to find the kind of work I am meant to do. Your video is exactly what I needed at this time. You show how to think about your composition, and to not be afraid to acknowledge the principles of art making taught in the workshop and change what is needed. I love the idea of photographing them and evaluating likes and dislikes. Anyway, thank you so very much for your wonderful approach to painting and sharing it with all of us.

Thank youLouise . You always make sense and make me feel “I Can” 😊

Listening to you working with the painting is very helpful to me. I Love your style and I so Appreciate your channel and your inspiration. Just read your latest weekly artist newsletter and it was so inspiring and enlightening. Loved the questions about why we do art. Gave me a lot to think about. I have always felt like an artist. I am finally trying to set up my art studio again after many years of health struggles. Your insights and your passion for art is inspiring me. Thank You Louise 🥰🎨❤️👍 Jalyne in Utah

Thank you so much for the emails/videos. Each one is helpful. No doubt each of us has a "why" for the reason we paint. Often it is a very hard thing to pinpoint. Saying " because that's what I really have to do" seems unfair. Perhaps saying " because I love doing it " is enough. So glad at this point I don't have to sell. Selling is fun but not necessary now for me. It is a heavy load for artwork to bear. You are so positive and encouraging . Thanks.

Love watching your demonstrations. I so want to get to the part of me that is buried deep down, so I can express in my art all that is buried. Thank you for helping to give me hope I will eventually get to enjoy the journey.

Love watching your videos ..they are helping me to find my way in my Art....thank you....Have really started getting serious these last 8 months...and do love mixed media but also with watercolours..

Thank you Louise for your advice.

Another informative and fabulous video - Thank you

Funny when I look at your painting I clearly see a man's head and shoulders. The big black shape to the right of the center line is his face in deep shadow and the big black shape on the far upper left is behind him. The text in the lower left is his shirt. I read most of the rest of the painting as depicting his pensive mood. Isn't it amazing how we all see different things! Thanks so much for sharing your work with us. Good luck with the next stage :-)

Grateful in advance for your advice. I need to let things go in my art and in life.

I never get tired of watching you work and explain things whilst doing it. You're so intuitive and this particular video really talked to me. I have several paintings that need some sort of adjustments and your encouraging video has built my confidence to attack them with gentle gusto!!

Thank you, Louise, for sharing so generously. You are simply amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this video.

Love that painting

Always pertinent!

Your videos are very inspiring and are helping me to loosen up. It’s a whole new world, going from folk art to abstract art. Thank you

This is a great follow on from the video where you spoke about the notion of journey and destination. A fear of losing something good can halt us on our creative journey,but it can also be a catalyst for finding another way forward. I also take photos of works in progress where I am at an impass of what to do next,but what I do is in one of my digital art programmes I have on my laptop, I can rotate the photo or change the vertial or horizontal of it and I find doing this allows me to view the painting in a new way and can throw out the new direction I need,because in rotating the hoto it can show me something I had maybe missed in the sutdio and I can see a new way forward to resolve the painting again. It allows me also to really see what works in the piece and why it works. There is always going to be that fear of losing a piece or overworking it,but by looking at the piece through a photo and another angle you can overcome this fear,plus as you say you can always repaint parts lost. Looking at the parts that work could give you a way forward when you think about why they work on their own or in relation to other parts and you could find a way to add to this and enhance it.It's almost like re exploring the painting again to find a new way forward and once you can do this the fear will over time dissapate quite naturally and you'll find you make stronger final pieces in the end,I think too its learning no to be precious about what you paint to,which allows you to let go of things. I love that you pose these questions to yourself in these videos and then work through them with insight and inspiratuion because we can see we can do this too. By working through them in real time you show us what is possible and waht we could achive ourselves.

Absolutely sound advice; Thank you Louise. ‘Let it go’!

you are reading my mind. i was going to post in Juiced Up Buddies that i thought a definition of 'being stuck' is not wanting to lose something precious in what we've done. that we think that we have to come up with 'the solution' or 'the resolution' which will change the least amount of the painting. as if there is one. and maybe there is. but going there is really immobilizing. i still have a painting that i felt this way about. it is probably 2 years old. maybe it is a good reminder to not go there! thanks Louise, karen

So, so helpful!!! Thanks a lot!!

That’s helped me get unstuck Louise, thanks!

I love how you share your thought process as you work, it's invaluable to beginners like me Thank you.

Great advise! The fear of losing the good stuff at the expense of the things that need changing is horrible. I never thought to take a photo before moving forward with a leap of faith. thanks!

Thanks Louise.

Thank you Louise and I reiterate Andrea Harley’s comments 🙏🙏

Thanks so much Louise! I get stuck and get scared to move onward. Just have to do it! I enjoy your emails also. It’s like you are talking right to us. You are an excellent teacher. So looking forward to June!

Thanks so much for the insights.

I am stuck right now and went to my computer for your video :), thanks for the help.

Perfectly timed video for me, it’s exactly where I am. I loved your video, and wish I believed that yes, I could create what I loved (and have to let go of) again, and while I don’t, I still agree wholeheartedly that letting go and trusting that something more beautiful will develop is the best way forward.

I have two practice pieces that are exactly in this position, they're the last two of 19 A4 pieces of paper I'd prepped to make into a book. I hadn't thought of photographing them because I don't like them yet but I will now too remind me of the bit's I do like. Thank you Louise :)

Hi Louise. This an interesting discussion. Thank you. I thought that your painting was a portrait and I really liked it. I was sorry when you painted over the face with white! Maybe as well as making notes ( which is a really good idea) you should show your painting to a friend and maybe then you can gain another perspective e. g give it a quarter turn and frame it!

Interesting. My main love is wearable art, usable art, that doesn't have to match your house and you can show off without having people in your (clean or not) house, so I cant really build up layers. Watching your videos and listening to Art Juice have inspired me and I have fabric in a dye bath and pieces made to sew onto it when the dye is done, for the first time in more than a year. So I'm already signed up for your June class, hoping the materials list is available soon and flexible (because I already have so much stuff), and we'll see what happens!

Really enjoyed this lesson, it was so informative and useful. Would love to do your free lessons in June but will be away 3 days of the time, is it possible to still attend the other 5? You are a wonderful teacher! Thanks

Thank you - time to let go!!!!

This came at right time for me. On the piece that I am doing there are 2 places I liked ( and even got a compliment from another artist friend). I have to let them go for me. They are holding me back. Thanks for all your videos and I am signed up for the workshop. What is the light color that you use instead of white??

Great advice thank you!

I think this looks great. The colour combinations are striking. If you remember how you made that green, please share. I have signed up for your workshop and am looking forward to increasing my knowledge and skill set while here in beautiful Cozumel Mexico!

Really useful video thankyou. Please could you tell me what you are painting on it sounds quite solid. ?.

Really found this helpful thankyou - can you tell me where you got the float frame from

I'm so humbled by how I dont know how to do this yet. Ive been painting for over 50 years. I have come this far by doing fresh "one & done" plein aire work, something I've become quite bored with.

Bold be bold ... just not today... 😂.. sorry Louise I know you’re right. I’ll try again tomorrow

I love your color choices, I find the black dots super distracting though. Have you left them in?

I sometimes turn painting to right

I love it but I think it needs to be turned 90 degrees to the right

I need to really listen and get out of the precious stage. It’s so hard when u don’t have confidence I. Yourself. I am going to watch this and listen about ten times. Louise (which is also my middle name. I was named after my gma). What color is the cream?

sorry but i clearly see a face (first painting)