Conquering ‘blank page’ syndrome

You have a ‘heart and soul’ passion for textiles. You long to develop your own visual vocabulary using the stitch techniques you love. You know deep down that you have the potential to express something unique and meaningful through the medium.

And yet you find yourself staring hopelessly at a blank page of a sketchbook. Praying for a glimpse of inspiration. Wishing the muse would appear and make those first few marks.

Or maybe you’ve got the opposite problem? Hundreds of pages of indecipherable notes and drawings. No way of deciding which idea to pursue. No discernible path forward.

Either way, you’re in good company. Most creative people have struggled with exactly the same issues at some point. In this article five celebrated practitioners share their insights into how they conquer those feelings of ‘artistic paralysis’ and get started on a new project.