Shake off those Winter Blues.
February always hits me hard. The winter blues settle in, the Minnesota cold feels endless, and motivation becomes almost impossible to find. I’m sluggish, uninspired, and honestly struggling to get into the studio. As artists, we’re told creativity should flow naturally—an unstoppable passion. But the truth is, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes life wins out, and our studio practice takes the hit.
Lately, I’ve felt bored with myself, disconnected from inspiration, and frustrated with my work. My confidence dipped. My ideas felt flat. I lost my mojo.
But throughout my artistic journey, I’ve learned something essential: when inspiration drops, you have to shake things up. Step away from routine, try something unfamiliar, act silly, unplug, and give yourself permission to explore without expectations. Creativity often comes from living, not forcing.
I’m rarely inspired by one thing—I’m inspired by many things. Textiles. Architectural ironwork. Fashion. Interior design. Floral arranging. But I have to see them in person. I have to step away from the screen and experience scale, texture, and space firsthand.
Sometimes the smallest shift can bring us back to ourselves: hearing a new song, reconnecting with an old friend, dusting off a forgotten journal, or offering an overdue apology. My intention for the rest of the year is to take in inspiration regularly—before I hit creative depletion.
Here are 10 simple ways to shake off creative stagnancy and reconnect with your artistic spark:
-
Have a long conversation with a 5-year-old.
-
Volunteer for a cause close to your heart.
-
Get lost in a travel article about a place you know nothing about.
-
Declutter a small corner of your home or studio.
-
Unplug from social media for 24 hours.
-
Try a new recipe from a culture unfamiliar to you.
-
Take a slow road trip on winding country roads.
-
Buy a beautiful coffee table book outside your field and flip through it often.
-
Immerse yourself in a workshop and learn something new.
-
Feel the fear—and do it anyway.
Creativity always returns. Sometimes it just needs a change of scenery, a breath of fresh air, or a new experience to wake it up again.
If you’ve found other ways to get inspired, feel free to share and leave a comment on the blog. I would love to hear from you.
Be well….be creative,
Thank you Clare. Great stuff. February is always a tough one for me also.
Great advice. My slump time is always August…when the worst of the desert heat sets in. That’s when I either hit the road or hunker in and take an online art course….but usually I’m just flatlined. This year, I pulled myself out of my comfort zone by taking something entirely new to me – your encaustic workshop! I, too, am employing the no social media diet by setting a timer and only allowing 30 minutes. Amazing what I get done not sucked into that drama… I am also penciling in dates with myself to explore at least one new gallery a month within an hour of where I live. It’s helpful to have kindred spirits to reconnect us to our muses. Thanks for that Clare 😊
I’m so glad that you decided to take the online class. The self imposed ban on social media is a tough one for me. There is so much happening these days I want to stay informed but it’s hard to sift through it all. Good for you for sticking to 30 minutes a day…..more time to do photo encaustics then.
Hi Clare. It’s Strange about February. The opposite to you here in Australia. I don’t like to say it but I secretly hate February. I blame the weather- it’s too hot so I feel housebound with the dull whir of fans and air con day after day. Maybe it’s not the weather but the very real challenges of getting back on track for another year as a self employed artist. In a day job I would just have to get to work no matter how I was feeling or get fired. Can’t fire myself tho so I might just do small things and try not hang around the fridge too much and wait for ‘The February’ to pass
Denise
It’s hard to imagine February being so hot but a cousin of mine who lives in Australia was posting 45 degrees centigrade last week on FB…..that’s hot! It just seems like a dull month all the way around. Hang in there…..stay cool….and away from the fridge:)
Hi Clare,
thanks so much for your inspiration. It’s been a tough 9 months with family bad health so sadly the physical act of creating has had to be pushed into the background but I do try to find sources of creativity in daily life and always have my camera on me. You never know, one day it will get that wax added! In the meantime I love your blogs, I love the idea of going to chat to a 5 year old, I love the thought of feeling the fear but going for it anyway….my aunt once said she felt sorry for me having a birthday in February. It had never crossed my mind! But the almond blossom starts coming out during this month and I feel it’s those little pink and white buds that brighten up my world. Nature is waking up and I’m hoping it will wake me up too this year. Thanks once again
You are very welcome Cinny. I’m sorry to hear that you have not been creating as much as you would like. Life sometimes gets in the way and it can be hard to create. Happy Birthday:) and just keep looking for inspiration.