Art: Getting Out of My Own Way to Create
I have been waiting quite a while to begin writing regularly about my new art adventures. It’s a strange thing to carve out a new creative routine, especially after a long absence. The process has been full of stops and starts, endless reassessments, and, ultimately, a major shift in how I approach my time, my priorities, and my creative energy.
Through continuous research, learning from other creators, and an invaluable year of online coaching since July 2023, I have discovered more efficient ways of managing tasks like content creation. Seeing smarter ways to handle the ‘stuff’ that fills up a creator’s life has encouraged me to fine-tune my approach so I can focus on what truly matters, (in context), - making art. I want to move forward in a way that feels both fulfilling and sustainable, without sacrificing the important things.
The Energy Drain of Unfinished Tasks
Every decision we make throughout the day consumes mental energy. Every time we return to an unfinished task, it drains us further. Initially, I tried dividing my week into dedicated days for website management, gift collection development, and separate days just for art. But I quickly realised that my art time was often interrupted by thoughts of blog schedules, social media posts, emails, and completing physical giftware collections like jewellery or my new Bijoux Lucky Horseshoe Wedding Gift range. These demands were pulling me away from my ultimate creative focus.
This forced me to take another long, hard look at everything I was ‘supposed’ to be doing - especially the pressures dictated by marketing trends, social media algorithms, and various website-related tasks. If I followed every ‘urgent’ industry suggestion, I’d have a full-time, unpaid job doing everything except making art. It’s almost comical - if it weren’t so serious.
Finding My Way Back to Art
Despite all of this, I have begun. I have started making space for my art, separating the blades of grass to see a path ahead. My artistic style has evolved since I last painted, and I can clearly see the influences shaping my work. I am learning to lean into the things that truly inspire me, making note of what sparks excitement or emotion. Whether it’s a passing image, a funny moment, or a memory, I try to capture it—sometimes with a quick sketch, sometimes with a journal entry, and sometimes just as a mental snapshot. Not every idea materialises into a finished piece, but the act of collecting inspiration itself is a creative practice.
One thing I’ve learned is to recognise what feels freeing in my process. I’ve started documenting these moments so I can recreate them. For example, I love working from memory - translating a feeling or an experience onto canvas without relying on direct references. Sometimes, though, I take actual photos and print them as inspiration for later, which is a different approach entirely. Both methods have their place in my work.
Recent Works: Honouring Miss Lemon, Secret Projects and More
My latest paintings have been in the works for a while. They've been perculating, if you like, until I had a chance to paint them. Sometimes some of these ideas lose potency if I leave it too long. If you’ve followed along, you might remember Miss Lemon from 2024 - now finally finished. This piece was created for my husband, who adored our little cat, Miss Lemon, right up until her passing. She had a habit of perching on his shoulders and never letting him sit alone. It was only right that she found her way onto my canvas.
Another secret painting has been in progress since last year, completed only recently. Finding the time to paint consistently has been a challenge, but I believe I have a better handle on it now. Once I add the final varnish, I will gift this piece to the person it represents. The painting is done in a realistic, figurative fine art style—something I don’t always lean toward, but in this case, it felt like the obvious choice. The challenge, of course, is deciding when a piece is truly finished. More on that in a future post!
Art for a Cause: Animal Welfare
Beyond my personal work, I am committed to contributing something worthwhile to animal welfare in a way that I can make the most impression. All of our pets have been rescues for a start. However, I want to build a special body of work where a portion of the proceeds goes to animal welfare, ongoing. Exactly what that will look like is not concrete just yet but work is underway.
I am also currently working on an exciting related project which I can't reveal until a later date. It’s difficult to disscuss unfinished pieces or projects as they’re still evolving, but I can say that the new body of work so far shares a connection with my Mr Gnome paintings, such as 'Day Tripper' - where Mr Gnome sets off for a seaside adventure. Style wise at any rate.
Interestingly, I now see how much my childhood love of comics and cartoons has influenced my visual storytelling. It’s fascinating to realise how deeply ingrained certain inspirations can be, even when we don’t recognise them at first.
Looking Ahead: A New Collection & Limited Editions
Meanwhile, I'm putting a few inspirations down as the start of a new collection. This collection will hopefully reflect my style based on memories and emotive day-to-day happenings that compel me to draw or paint them. Following on from that, I am considering creating new collections on a regular planned basis stopping to select some pieces for limited edition giclée prints. That will all take some time to organise but once the elements of the process are in place it should be workable. That is as long as I remain inspired to paint and don't get pushed off course somehow.
I’ve been researching how other artists structure their workload, and I see strong parallels between their approaches and my own ethos - balancing time between designing and creating giftware collections, photography for listings, and finally, crafting content around it all. It definitely needs a structured plan, otherwise, it would turn into a spaghetti junction of tasks!
Silencing the Inner Busy Body and Critic
One of the greatest obstacles to creating art is the inner critic - the voice that insists you’re not good enough but also the one that convinces you not to start before you’ve even picked up a pencil for all sorts of silly reasons. The one that put's up all the barriers. ''What's it for? It'll take too long. You don't have time. You don't have the proper paper. You don't have the right colours/paint/canvas size. You don't want to waste canvas unless it's good. You're not sure where to start. You're just not sure.'' Hmm! Learning to quieten that voice is essential. I’ve had to find ways to keep that busy body occupied so I can focus on making something—anything. The only way forward is to begin, to push past the doubt and see where the journey leads. You might just surprise yourself. You might even enjoy it.
If you’d like to be the first to see my latest works and follow my progress, I’d love for you to join my Amanda Coen Art email list. Just hit reply and let me know!
Warm wishes,
Amanda
