Having had a group months of not being in a good mindset for creative processes (main reason: please read)...

There has also been a few other things that have just left me feeling pretty hollow on the creativity front... helping friends move, I managed to do some really painful muscular-neural damage to my lower back. Which meant muscle became inflamed and pressed on the root spinal nerve cluster, which caused a weird sensation of semi-paralysis in my left leg for about six weeks... I am still not 100%, but the process of recovering is going okay, but slower than I'd like - but time heals many things and that is all it needs... I guess

However, DA's new Wacom 'Dreams' competition has given me something to work towards and got me off my a** and doing something (none too soon if you as me).... My entry looks like this.

Initially, I got quite excited about this competition... having looked at some of the entries, I thought that I was in with a good shout... but now, the familiar daemons of auto-criticism and doubt are making me consider removing myself from this and all other future competitions...

Which seems to beg the question....

'Why and how do we do this to ourselves every time we create a piece of work?'

Well, knowing a few creative types on a personal basis... I think it stems from something akin to people who climb mountains for enjoyment.

As the sheer blank face of the first section of the climb is seen - we gaze up at it... and it seems to stare right back, unblinking, unflinching and resolutely demanding we do something about the challenge it provides.

The same sensation can be gained by any artist faced with a blank canvas, screen or lump of untouched clay...

The idea to rise to these demands, a combination of our own self-expectations (which are often lofty and outlandish) and wish to push the envelope to see what we can really do if we allow ourselves is almost like a siren's song for us....

It is not a case of 'because it is there' more a case of because we cannot ignore this strange combination of wanting to push our creative talents further, with every piece....

and never being truly happy with our work...

We always seem to see a bit that needs attention or there's more detail needed... bit more work on that section there.. more complex, better lighting

or just plain 'more'...

We are a strange lot - are we not?

An old T.V. advert once reminded us that the most common word in the English language is 'Okay'.... a word that implies a sense that everything is all right and satisfactory.

However, okay is clearly not as good as brilliant, wonderful, magnificent or any other word with such colourful and highly expectant parameters or definition.

To most artists, then... okay is clearly not ...err... okay.

Maybe that is why, when it comes to our work we are obsessive... often overly precious, defensive and overly critical.

However, whatever people say about our work - every artist just knows it will be nowhere near as great as our next piece.

Good luck to all who enter the competition and respect to those who feel like their work is never good enough.

And remember - many pioneers got laughed at the loudest when they wanted to do something no-one had ever done, or tried to find a place no-one had ever found.