Painting

Getting Unstuck from a Creative Rut

June 12, 2026 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like your wheels are spinning, but you’re not moving forward?

As a missionary in Flagstaff, AZ, my companion and I literally got our truck stuck in a rut on a very narrow dirt road. I remember the panicked feeling of being trapped and not knowing how we would get home. It took some time, a dozen or so prayers, and a lot of trial and error. Finally, using some very handy sticks for traction and a lot of oomph, we managed to get our truck unstuck.

This experience has never left me, and I think of it often when I’m mentally stuck in a rut, spinning my wheels with no progress, despite pressing the gas again and again. Personally, I don’t believe in writer’s block. I’m always able to put words on a page, even if they aren’t very good words. But, having struggled with motivation for certain projects, I do believe in creative ruts. Over the years, I’ve acquired a few useful tools that help me get unstuck. Here are five tips to help you get out of your own artistic ruts.

Co-Create with Body Doubling

I have a confession to make: I hate revisions. People who know me might raise their eyebrows. “But aren’t you an editor?” Well, yes. But I don’t hate revising other people’s stories—I hate revising my own. Without fail, I hit a wall. All the self-doubt I kept at bay while drafting comes sneaking in, mocking me and making me question all my writing choices. So to avoid that, I simply don’t start the revisions.

This avoidance, however, has proven to be a major problem because it prevents me from making progress on any of my stories.

I came up with an idea to help me with this particular rut. I invited several of my writing friends to hop on a Zoom call with me and just write for an hour. To my relief (and my story’s benefit), I discovered that having someone present while I wrote helped me overcome my motivation slump and actually start revising. I made my way through the murky fog of revision and emerged on the other side better for it.

I still meet with writer friends every week for scheduled writing time, which has had a huge impact on my writing and revising. If you haven’t tried this, I highly recommend it. Having someone on a Zoom call with you makes it a lot harder to get sucked into distractions because you have a witness to your efforts and an accountability partner to return and report your progress to.

Create in a Different Location

Another tool that can help you get out of your creative rut is to change your location. On my bad mental health days, I’ve found that simply getting out of my usual space helps me get out of my head. I’ll go to the library or a local park and just enjoy the world around me. Notebooks and sketchbooks are handy tools for alternate locations. Being somewhere new can spark ideas you wouldn’t have otherwise thought of. If you’ve been tapping the same artistic vein nonstop for weeks, months, or even years in the same location, try changing it up. You might find some new ideas to help you work through whatever is keeping you in that rut.

Explore a Different Medium

I don’t consider myself an artist, at least not in the traditional sense. I have some talent in painting, but my people always look like stick figures. However, when my creativity is running low and I’m struggling to make sense of my story, switching things up by painting or sketching can be therapeutic. It allows me to experiment without the pressure of forcing myself to write. Painting especially helps me want to write more.

Try this out for yourself: if you’re a painter, maybe try writing a poem. (See this article about poetry.) If you’re a writer, try painting or knitting. If you’re a musician, try cooking or cross-stitching. Put yourself in a different medium to get the creative juices flowing. You never know when the perfect idea will strike—it might be while you’re learning to make the perfect crème brûlée.

Change Up the Format

Another tool that’s helped me break out of my rut is changing up the format. Most of my writing is done on my desktop computer. However, there are days when I sit at my keyboard and can’t bring myself to write. I’ll check my email for the thousandth time or watch yet another short on YouTube, but completely neglect the project I want to be working on.

This is where changing up the format comes into play. When I was a kid, I did most of my writing by hand—I have dozens of notebooks and journals to prove it. I still handwrite in my journal, but I rarely do so for stories anymore. Recently, my work-in-progress was being difficult, and my motivation was extremely lacking. On a whim, I put pen to paper in a blank notebook. To my surprise, I wrote seven-and-a-half pages in one session. I’d gotten myself out of the rut simply by changing how I wrote.

Try experimenting with different formats. If you’re a composer who uses MuseScore, try composing by hand. If you’re a painter who mostly uses oil, try watercolors. If you’re a digital artist, sketch something on paper. Writers, try writing by hand or typewriter. The novel format will help you find new pathways forward.

Follow Prompts

What if you’ve tried it all and you are still struggling to get unstuck? Not to worry, my friends, I’ve got one more trick up my sleeve. Despite trying some of the tools mentioned above, I may still find myself completely and utterly unmotivated, uninspired, and unexcited about working on any of my projects.

This is where prompts come in handy. Sometimes the scariest thing about starting a new project is just knowing where to start. Having constraints, such as “paint a picture with only primary colors,” “write a short story featuring a hamster, a poncho, and a hammer,” or “write a poem using only words that start with the letter ‘A’” can prime the pump. Constraints actually allow for more creativity because they force your brain to work within a set of defined parameters, and they give you a firm launch point.

There are countless free prompts available online for all sorts of art. These can include prompts to write short stories with a specific setting, character, or genre; create a song in a certain key, time signature, or rhythm; paint something that starts with the letter “R” or only with black and yellow pigments; and plenty more. Let your muse take over and turn that blank page into an answer to the prompt.

Creating is hard and can take a lot of energy. You’re bound to find yourself in a rut now and then when you work the same way over and over again. My hope is that these five tools will help you find the traction you need to get unstuck and get back to doing what you do best—inspiring others through your art.

KaTrina Jackson

Author, Editor

KaTrina Jackson loves penguins, chocolate, and piano music, and spends much of each day trying to fit those loves in around her jobs as a freelance editor and a project manager for Eschler Editing. She graduated with a degree in editing and publishing from Brigham Young University. She’s a member of three different writing groups, attends and teaches at multiple writing conferences, has volunteered with LDSPMA since 2021, and recently published her first novel. When she’s not writing, editing, or reading, she can be found practicing yoga, teaching piano lessons, or watching Disney movies while working on a cross-stitch project. She and her husband live in Olathe, Kansas.

Combining Art and Writing

July 27, 2023 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

Art and writing are separate disciplines, each creative in its own way. While art can enhance the way we look at the world, writing helps us process words and ideas. Both subjects boost our creativity, help us learn to solve problems, and act as stress relievers. For me, adding art to writing is like putting a dill pickle on a burger.

It occurred to me that writing is like painting with words. Can the reverse be true? Can creating a piece of artwork be like writing a message? I think it can. Here are some ways you can combine art with writing.

The cover of Pysansky Promise by Cathy Witbeck.

Create a picture book—Ironically, my first picture book, Pysanky Promise, was about an art form, the art of pysanky, or Ukrainian Easter egg “writing.” The word “pysanky” derives from the Ukrainian word “pysaty,” which means “to write.” Messages are written using a process that involves drawing letters and designs on the eggs with beeswax and dipping them in dye. The art of pysanky is a very literal way of writing a message with art.
Make a graphic novel—This format is like a picture book that grew up or a comic book on steroids. Hats off to people with this talent.
Keep a doodle or art journal—I found an opportunity to combine art and writing when I started a Book of Mormon sketch journal. I realized that I learn and retain more information when I express my thoughts with visual images. This study journal is the kind of record I’d like to leave to my family as a legacy of my spiritual insights.
Write and draw in a nature sketchbook—You can jot down simple sketches that you label and date, or include complex observations and facts about the illustration. Sketching allows you to notice small details you may have missed at first or second glance.
Design a greeting card—When a card is displayed in a grocery store rack, usually only the top third is visible. Make that section of the card distinctive to catch the browser’s eye, and that the artwork matches the theme of the card. Avoid pictures of people, as a card should appeal to any ethnicity.
Create a website—Design your own logo and curate a portfolio page. If these suggestions add way too many dill pickles to your burger, find someone who is experienced in web and graphic design.
Offer free printables on your website—These resources provide a good way to draw in traffic while giving your reader documents to enjoy. You could also offer a bonus information link related to your printable topic, i.e., “Collecting Shells.”
Add your art to a PowerPoint—As a JustServe specialist, I made a PowerPoint using my art to emphasize important information in my presentation. I drew an illustration of a woman with a pile of responsibilities to contrast with an illustration of kids in a hot air balloon. My point was to demonstrate that JustServe is not a program to weigh you down, but an opportunity to lift you in service to others.
Use your art to enhance a newsletter, program cover, or bulletin.
Create your own hand lettering or make your own font.
Make a board game—Design the board and write the rules.
If you really want to go nuts, create your own world map. You could even write a study guide to share details about the images you choose to include.
Design a business card—A business card is a multi-purpose tool. When properly designed, it can advertise your services, showcase your brand, invite people to act, and provide contact information.

Items to consider when designing a business card include:

a) Shape—traditional rectangle vs. something creative that reflects your brand.

b) Size—you don’t want it to be so small that it gets lost, or so large that people use it as a fan on hot days.

c) Graphics—a popular trend is to include a wordless visual with a QR code on one side and text on the other.

I find that writing and making art build off each other. A story I’m working on will often give me an idea for an image I want to create and vice versa. Combining writing and art means I rarely run out of ideas. I keep track of them in a file and remind myself to be selective. A notepad sits beside my bed for brilliant concepts that wake me in the night. One morning I found the words “dill pickle” scrawled down on the paper. Maybe it was a reminder to combine art and writing? It’s a dill-ema!

Cathy Witbeck

Cathy Witbeck is a Canadian-born author-illustrator transplanted to the USA. She remembers writing and drawing ever since she could pick up a pencil. She did an especially lovely piece of artwork on the side of the septic tank with house paint at a very young age. Perhaps that’s when it was discovered that she was gifted, or maybe it’s why she was sent to the USA.

She has five grown kids and one grown husband. When she isn’t writing and illustrating, she is chasing after grandkids intent on making their own artwork.

Keeping Your Creative Spirit Alive

July 13, 2023 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

I graduated from Utah State University with a degree in commercial and fine art, ready to make my mark on the artistic world. USU was connected with The Art Center School in Pasadena, California—now called Art Center College of Design, one of the top art schools in the nation.

After finishing my education, I was anxious to see if I could compete with other artists in the field. One little hiccup—I got married the week after graduation. This would not have been an issue, but we found out about a month later that we were expecting our first baby. Not a problem, I thought. I can still get out there and set the art world on fire. However, the pregnancy was more difficult than I had thought it would be, and I was extremely ill. Unfortunately, we lost that baby a few months into the pregnancy. A month or so later, we found out we were expecting again. I was thrilled, but very sick. The doctor scheduled an ultrasound to make sure all was well, and surprise! There were two little heartbeats.

I began teaching art at Grantsville High School, but I had to quit when I became too weak and nauseated to stand for long hours. So, at home with extra time on my hands, I sent off my portfolio and was picked up by two large galleries in Montana. I also started doing freelance illustration.

Twenty-two months after the twins were born, we welcomed another baby girl into our family. By this time, we had built our first home, and I made my studio in the unfinished third level of our multi-level house.

A company in southern Utah hired me to do a painting for the cover of their yearly magazine. They planned to send it out to all their stockholders and clients.

Painting with small children was not an easy feat. I could only paint after they were in bed, so I would work from about eight p.m. to one a.m. After I put more than one hundred hours into the piece, it was ready. The people who had hired me were scheduled to pick up the painting. Before they came, I went upstairs to check on my sleeping baby and unwittingly left the door to the studio open and my paints out. I realized what I’d done halfway through changing a diaper, so I quickly finished up and ran downstairs.

There they were, my darling little boy and girl, each with a paintbrush in hand, swishing paint across my masterpiece. I muffled a scream, sat on the steps, and shed a few tears. I realized that being a professional artist and having three small children was possibly not the best idea if I wanted to keep my sanity. Thankfully, I was able to salvage the painting before the clients arrived.

Being a young mother with small children is rewarding and exhausting. So many moms lose sight of their talents and ability to create during those difficult years raising their little ones. It’s important to carve out time for music, art, and literature, as creativity enriches not only Mom, but her family as well.

As my children grew older, I was able to set aside time to work on artistic avenues that fulfilled my desire to create. I taught art classes in the evenings and an art history class at Utah State Extension in Tooele, Utah. Using my talents to educate others was a fun outlet and helped provide my family with extra income.

Here are a few ideas to help keep your creative spirit alive during the years when your children are small.

Find time to indulge in creative endeavors, even if it’s late at night. I looked forward to the quiet times when my children were in bed to watch a show or listen to music and work on an art project.
Volunteer at an elementary school. Teachers are always looking for parents to help with the arts, and my kids were so excited and proud to have me visit their classrooms.
Include your children in your art. For many years, I taught art classes in my home. I did have my children join the classes, but it was easier to have fun with them on my own time.
Take your family to art-related activities to teach them an appreciation for the arts. We visited many galleries and sculpting studios. I did this more with my two younger children when the older kids were involved with other activities.
Encourage your young children to be creative and unafraid to experiment with new mediums and ideas. I found if I made art materials available to my children, they would be free to create in their own ways.

Though my attempt to continue with a professional art career while working as a stay-at-home mom ended in catastrophe, I never lost the desire to be involved with the arts in some capacity. Those hectic days have long since passed, and I don’t regret my decision to put my art on hold. For me, being a mom was much more rewarding than advancing my art career. Now I paint for family, friends, and just to enjoy creating art without the pressure of deadlines or critiques.

Laramie Dunn

Laramie Dunn spent most of her youth riding horses and raising sheep. After graduating from Nutana High School, Laramie trained and showed Quarter Horses professionally across Canada and the United States. She became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was 19 and attended Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. She later attended Utah State University and graduated in illustration and secondary education.

She met her husband, Clayton Dunn, in her senior year of college. They married and moved to Tooele, Utah, where they raised their five children. They now live in Stansbury Park and enjoy entertaining their 14 grandchildren.

Portrait of a Painter: The Journey of Latter-day Saint Artist Dan Wilson

May 12, 2022 By Howard Collett 8 Comments

Dan Wilson began drawing from the time he could pick up a pencil. “I doodled on everything,” he recounts. “My first sale was in 7^th grade to one of my teachers. She had me draw John Wayne. I couldn’t believe she gave me $20. But I battled being an artist. I studied chiropractic, fire science, and business, but I always felt a tug to go back to art.”

“Before graduation, Dan was all over the place,” said Heather, Dan’s wife of 13 years. “He couldn’t figure out what he wanted to do. I asked, ‘Why not art?’, but I never thought he would do it full time.”

Early Inspiration

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dan graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor degree in fine arts. “My greatest mentors were Perry Stuart, a UVU art professor, and William Whittaker, who mentored me after college. I was inspired by Danish artist Carl Bloch and French artist William Bouguereau.”

Dan is also inspired by his wife. “I wouldn’t be able to give it 100% if she wasn’t behind me,” he said. Dan first met Heather at Gold’s Gym. “I didn’t want to be that guy who gets her number at the gym,” he admitted, “then I ran into her at a dance two months later. The rest is history.” The couple has four boys and two girls ranging in age from two to eleven.

Lightbulb Moment

“I originally painted just to have a career. I did portrait art and wanted to get into galleries,” Dan said. “Then I painted my first image of Christ, and two families bought simple prints. One mother stopped me the next week at church, got emotional, and said, ‘You have no idea how much that image is uplifting us in our home.’ I thought, ‘That was really cool.’”

The next week at the exact same spot, another woman stopped Dan. “She also got emotional and said, ‘I gave my print to my sister who’s trying to keep her family together. You have no idea how much it means to them and how much it’s helping.’ She said almost the exact same words. The lightbulb went off and I knew—I’m supposed to be painting for a reason, and that is to uplift people in their homes with images of Christ.”

I’m supposed to be painting for a reason…

“When Dan was deciding what he wanted to paint, he was up and down,” said Heather. “When he realized he wanted to paint the Savior, everything just fell into place.”

Rigors of Aspiration

But it hasn’t always been easy. To support his art career, Heather cleaned houses and Dan managed a freight forwarding business for FEDEX. “My first year I made $7,000 from my art,” he said, “but Heather never second-guessed the whole thing.”

In 2014, Dan started painting full time. “It’s not a normal nine-to-five job,” said Heather. “There’s no paid time off. His schedule varies. At six pm he may be in the middle of something he can’t leave. Sometimes he paints until midnight. But he’s a hard worker and takes on the responsibility of providing for the family. He constantly studies the work of other artists.”

Inspiration is a Process

Dan relies heavily on the power and process of inspiration. “If I’m painting the Savior for a temple, I just want to do Him justice. I’m intimidated every time,” he said. “I spend a lot of mental prep work getting ready to paint. I get a father’s blessing. I include it in my fast. Then I do the best painting I can with the Lord’s help.”

Dan is quick to add that inspiration doesn’t come all at once. “I can take it only so far, and then I get stuck where I just don’t know what the best thing for the painting is. It’s then that I receive more answers.”

Washington DC Temple Painting

This process was repeatedly manifested in his largest work to date, “His Return,” a depiction of Christ’s Second Coming for the Washington DC Temple.

Dan had already completed six paintings for temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he received a call from the Temple Department to do another: an eight-by-twelve-foot oil painting for the Washington DC Temple. It needed to be completed in time for the temple rededication in the summer of 2022.

“This Second Coming piece was a big slice of humble pie. I ran into several things I didn’t know how to do,” said Dan. “I’ve never done a mural this size before with 300-plus angels. It stretched me. When I get overconfident and don’t rely on the spirit, I make a lot of mistakes I have to spend the next day fixing. It’s pretty easy to stay grounded when you realize you’re painting stuff you can’t paint by yourself. I learn something new each time.”

“The temple department gave me the idea for the painting based on scripture, with the Savior coming in the clouds clothed in a red robe surrounded by numerous angels,” said Dan. “I produced preliminary sketches with graphite. When they were approved, I was asked to do a one-by-two-foot painting which the temple interior designer would use for their color palate. When that was approved, they let me loose.”

Dan went to work finding models and clothing for them, creating concepts for the trumpets, and conducting numerous photoshoots before putting it all together. “I spent hundreds of hours in Photoshop just placing the angels so that they didn’t create a pattern and the diversity was not stacked in one section. I had about 30 models, but as you go further away from Christ the detail isn’t as apparent.”

God is in the very details of our work.

There were more layers of approval for the painting, the last one being a member of the First Presidency of the Church. It took Dan an estimated 2,000 hours to paint “His Return”—a fourth of it in preparation alone.

Specific Revelation

Dan’s original concept was for 120 angels. To give greater depth to the painting, the number grew to more than 300. “I painted one angel at a time,” he said. “It took one to three days per angel. All of them had slightly different contrasts. The hardest thing about painting 300 angels surrounding Christ is to have them not consume all the attention and to have them go back in space evenly and consistently. I was really stressed out about it, and I prayed and fasted a lot.”

One morning Dan awoke early and visualized the use of a specific white glaze to apply in variation to make the angels complement and not compete with the image of the Savior. It gave them a glowing feel and helped them fit perfectly in atmospheric perspective.

“Such a specific revelation is a testimony to me that God is in the very details of our work. That doesn’t just apply to me as a Christian artist working on temple paintings, but it applies to anyone in any career. God is in the details of our work, and He can answer specific questions to help us be better providers, better employees, better employers, better husbands or wives, or wherever we need help. If we’re specific with Him, He’ll be specific with us.”

Howard Collette

Author Bio

Howard Collett has two novels in production, Erika’s War, a spy novel set in contemporary Berlin, and Lost in the Wilderness, the tale of a 10-year-old girl lost in Utah’s Uinta mountains. He has published 1,600 articles and 300 photos in aviation, medicine, software, and education in national and international magazines. His capstone achievement documented life-saving humanitarian aid on four continents. Visit www.howardcollett.net for more information.