There is a brand new piece of off-white coloured paper on the desk. The click of a GraphiGear mechanical pencil. The lead hitting the table. Tap. Tap. Tap. The need to draw is there, but the inspiration behind it makes it very difficult to create an image out of thin air. Artist Block. This is one type of blockage that affects me more than a blocked artery, I am dealing with a blockage in my ability to create art.

.:.
Ray Bradbury, once voiced, “may I die before my voices”, in a prologue of his book The October Country because he never wanted the source of his stories to run out. Like a writer who deals with writer's block on occasion, an artist can encounter a disconnect when an image can appear in the mind, but not on paper.

On rare occasions, a burst of inspiration can materialize in the middle of a creative slump that makes the production of new works flow as fluidly as the ink from a brand new fountain pen. Love is a great source to feed a creative mind, just look at every song and book on that subject.

However, there is a darker muse that preys upon the weak of heart like a malnourished succubus that can be an untapped, murky cesspool of creativity. It shows itself with that hollow feeling in the center of your chest where a heart should have been. I am talking about Sorrow. I am not averse nor a stranger to Sorrow, as it is also known by its other name Dolor. My maternal grandmother's name was Dolores, so I can say that Sorrow is in my blood. Sorrow is a very fragile source of creativity that must be handled delicately because too much exposure can lead to depression.

There is hope.

Some are able to take the pain associated with Sorrow and channel it into something beautiful: The painter with the missing left ear; The vagabond busking on the street corner with soul-filled eyes; The young woman sitting alone in the parked car with a handkerchief and Chopin playing in the background.

So the next time life sends you lemons, grab some pen and paper.


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