For many artists — myself included — there’s often a mental block that prevents us from finding creativity in the midst of a deficit of inspiration.

You can’t start on that painting, write that song, or throw that bowl until you feel properly inspired into a creative mindset.

For me, creative inspiration had been few and far between since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the hopelessness that ensued from that collective experience. We were socially isolated and nervous about our health and wellness, as the world as we knew it changed forever.

There were no (or few) opportunities to connect with other artists in our fields in a real and meaningful way, at least not in the ways that we had grown used to, and therefore there weren’t many opportunities to engage in collective inspiration.

We weren’t going to art galleries or house concerts, and we weren’t gathering to workshop or meet and greet. If we gathered, it was in our little 2×2 squares on a video conference, which isn’t the most productive environment for the flow of creativity.

Even now we don’t have gallery shows, house concerts, and workshops at the frequency or attendance that we used to. The creative community and the way we gather together was forever changed by two years of isolation.

I think, in this new world order, we have to be more intentional and persistent in pursuing connection with other artists. We can’t wait for the opportunity to come to us like in time’s past.

In more recent months, I have intentionally sought out artists who inspire me in my own creativity, and I have reached out to them and made that first connection. Every day I make it a goal to shoot an Instagram message or an email to an artist whose work I find creatively inspiring, and I start those connective conversations with them.

I encourage you today to find an artist who inspires you and seek out a connection with them in whatever way you are most comfortable. Don’t wait for the connection to come to you.