The Blank Page

It's a frightening thing - the blank page, the blank canvas, the blank anything, if one is expected to fill it with something. As a mixed media artist who sometimes writes, I have been intimidated more than once by the blank, white canvas/page. What is there to do when you stare and nothing comes? I suppose it's a common thing for those who compose, whether using musical notes, images or words. It's nice to know I'm in good company, but it's not a comfortable place to be.

There are discussions about when to stop - how do you know when a piece is finished? But what about how to begin? Sometimes, if I can just make the first mark, or cut a piece of fabric, or put one sentence on the paper, I have a place to begin. The first mark can be quite intimidating, however, especially if I let that old inner critic have a say; or if the fabric was pricey, it can be anxiety producing to make the first cut.

Make a mark, then another. Write a word, then another. Make a cut, then another. Off we go. Still, I'd like to know how others deal with the beginning.