Hi, All Y'all,

I would like to welcome new subscribers to my newsletter and thank my followers for sticking with me.  I have been in an art funk (for lack of a better word) for a long while.  You may have noticed that I haven't sent a newsletter for about a year.  Wow, how soon we forget and get out of the habit!

What you do when you lose your creative muse?  

Here are some of the ideas that were offered to me, maybe you can use them as well -- whether you are an artist, run your own business, write, or have a creative hobby.  Here are ideas and what I have done over the last few months:

 *  Try a new medium, style, supply, etc. 

I tried M. Graham walnut based oils.  I am allergic to linseed oil.  I also worked a bit in watercolor, which I seldom do.

*  Do something different, not related to art.

Gene, spouse, and I traveled far and wide.  We go to the University of Texas Baseball games, all we can, both at home in Austin and away games.  We go to music venues, especially The Bugle Boy, in La Grange, Texas. (http://www.thebugleboy.org/)

* Set aside specific time for my art.

I have not been very good at this since I moved my studio back home.  That is a plan for this year.

*  Work in a series

I have not ever done that all regularly.  I have painted many windmills, houses, apples, cacti, etc.  But not several of the same thing in a row.  I should try that.

*  Join a project that has a theme or certain subjects to paint.

I take part in the sketching Scavenger Hunts on wetcanvas.com.  That does keep me sketching.  I signed up on the Southwest forum to do a painting a day for a month or as many as possible and did not do one.   I did paint almost daily when I had my studio in downtown Bastrop, so another challenge like that would be good.

*  Revisit a project or painting that I am not satisfied with.

This is hard for me.  I find I get bored if I work on a painting for too long and end up abandoning it or overworking it.  Maybe ......

*  Go through reference photos for ideas.

I have thousands of photos, and I do this a lot, including surfing the internet.  This, I overdo.  I have to force myself to a time limit for e-mail, surfing and playing.

*  Take a workshop.

I will be attending the International Pastel Societies Convention in Albuquerque in June.  I took a plein air workshop in Montana last September.  I have signed up for a pastel workshop in Arkansas in September this year.

*  Get out and see people, painting is a solitary business.

I have taken part in First Friday Art Walk in Bastrop.  I enter the Austin Pastel Society events and attend meetings.  I try to attend other art openings and exhibits.  I entered several other exhibits through other art associations.  I gave a few private art lessons.  Gene and I try to attend charity events locally and when we travel.

You can tell by receiving this letter, that I am slowly getting back into the groove.  Maybe you can use some of these ideas to jump start your projects.  Or maybe you can come up with more ... let me hear from you at my email jo@jocastilloart.com