Feeling stuck?

I know so many of you reading this are. I get messages on the daily from artists or creative business owners asking for advice or wondering if they’re heading in the right direction.

Feeling stuck can often lead us to stagnation and being unable to create any sort of forward progress in our careers or journey with art. I’ve felt stuck MANY times in my career! There’ve been times when I just feel like my creativity is zapped, or I’m unsure of how to generate more forward momentum with my business.

This happened for me when I first started licensing my artwork. For the first five years of owning a creative business, I was designing custom wedding stationery. Working with clients and in the events industry, I was feeling overworked and underpaid. I knew there was more to my creative career and I kept seeing artists who were getting their work in Anthropologie, Target, or landing some amazing collab and thinking, “How do I get there?”.

I felt stuck.

Almost paralyzed with overwhelm. “I have SO much to learn! I’m not a surface designer!” 

What helped me feel unstuck? Completely submerging myself in education on the topic of surface pattern design. 

By no means am I saying I know everything about being a surface pattern designer now, but a few years ago, I knew NOTHING about this world of licensing and pattern design. So I dove in, head first and absorbed as much education about the topic as I could.

Think about it like learning a language! It comes so much easier and quicker when you fully immerse yourself in the culture and if you live in a specific country or region that speaks that language and become one with that environment. Right? 

Because I was feeling stuck with knowing how to be the best surface pattern designer I could be, I knew I had to completely douse myself in this world. Research and study famous pattern designers, read about pattern design, educate myself on guidelines and legal practices in the world of licensing, etc. I’ve learned a TON about this world as well from my agent, Julie Turkel! 

Related: A Chat with My Licensing Agent Julie Turkel

The more I learned (and continue to learn), the more confident I became to take steps toward forward progress.

If you’re feeling stuck in your creative career or art journey, remember that the key to livening things up again is learning! Always be learning! Discover new things, become more confident through education and discovering new methods or information through research and practicing that new knowledge!

Remember, one step at a time.