How to Get Back into the Studio After a Break

'Dancing with Friends I'        5x7       pastel       ©Karen Margulis
available $50

I haven't been home much this summer. My studio has cobwebs and is in need of a deep cleaning. I miss my studio and the long leisurely days of nothing on the agenda other than painting. My travels and adventures were wonderful and they have filled my inspiration bank full to the brim and now I am anxious to get back to regular daily painting and blogging.

Sometimes it is hard to get back into a regular routine after a break from the usual painting schedule. The habit has been broken and other habits may have taken the place of painting. If you have been away from home there will be things that need your attention....bills, laundry, chores, catching up with family and friends. And you may feel rusty and unsure. It is easy to find excuses and painting gets put off.

Action leads to more action....working leads to inspiration. 
I find it is important to get right into the studio and paint something within a day of returning home. Paint anything! Something small and simple just to break the ice. Set a timer for 30 minutes and allow yourself the luxury of creating something. (I usually throw in the laundry and then paint something while waiting for the cycle to finish.)  The longer I put off painting the harder it gets to restart the habit. It is important to break the ice and pick up the pastels....the chores can wait 30 minutes!

'Dancing with Friends II'      5x7     pastel        $50

I just spent a wonderful week with my family at Disney World. It was so much fun seeing one of my favorite places through the eyes of my two year old granddaughter. They left for their home in Chicago today and as soon as they left I threw in the laundry and pulled out some old unfinished poppy paintings. The underpaintings were finished but they had been put aside. They were the perfect icebreaker paintings. Something fun and familiar. Now that the ice has been broken I can't wait to get back to my regular schedule!

Watercolor underpaintings on white sanded paper