My Formula to get out of an Art Rut (Inspired by Rick Rubin)

I find value in reading books. Recently I picked up Rick Rubin’s “ The Creative Act: A way of being” and this has helped me change the way I view the process of creation. I realized I have been bound by rules and restrictions placed by the world around me, and that’s not the artist I want to be. 

This book helped me renovate my creative process and completely change my view on creators and the world around me. It helped me develop my on equation for creating Art. 

Inspiration + Dedication + Play = True Art

The formula is easier said than done.

Dedication 

Dedication is to show up every single day. Even on days when it’s hard. It could be 20 mins or hours. When you love doing something you actually want to do it on a regular basis, but do you have the willpower to do so? 

Do it not for the outcome but for the action of doing. Show up to the gym not for your body goals but just because you can everyday. Make it something you enjoy and want to do. 

You can make the preparations a ritual, which may encourage you to do it. Set your clothes out the night before. Set up your painting space everyday. 

Play 

To play is to lose the restrictions we’ve developed through worldly experiences. Living in the present moment with little to know thoughts. Use naivety to your advantage. Do not overthink every brush stroke or look forward to the outcome. Enjoy the act of play. 

When you sit down and you are getting ready to create, let go of all your past experiences. Approach creating Art with ignorance. Remember what it was like to create art when you were little. Or to play outside with friends. There wasn’t one restrictive thought that crossed your mind. Our minds were new and fresh. Everything was a new experience which made life fun. 

Inspiration 

To find inspiration, try doing something novel. When we get stuck in a loop or routine, we have less room for anything different. Differences spark inspiration.

One way that never fails me to find inspiration is something Rick Rubin addresses in his book, “The Creative Act: A way of Being.” Look at the world in Awe. Looking at the world in admiration and being present in every moment. There’s inspiration all around us, but we just pass it by. The world is so fast paced, it’s good to just slow down. 

Ride the wave of inspiration as far as possible because that same spark may not always come again. Sit with it for as long as possible. Since inspiration comes and goes, it’s not something you can always depend on. That’s where dedication comes in.