Experiencing Artist’s Block, with Jason Cytacki

Have you ever struggled with “Artist’s block?” We’ve all heard about how difficult and frustrating “Writer’s block” can be for an author who is used to having the words flow out on the page, but do artists ever face a similar difficulty? Jason Cytacki is a talented artist and educator who bravely opens up about his difficulty facing artist’s block at a particular chapter in his career. Jason’s transparency, honesty, and ultimately hopeful perspective are a breath of fresh air. I had a wonderful time discussing his work, personal journey, and everything in between. Art Inspired by the American West Often many artists are inspired by things that impacted them as children or early in their life. For some artists it’s the ocean, for others it’s human faces, other still it’s landscapes, and on and on we could go. For Jason Cytacki one aspect of his childhood that has inspired his artwork is the entertainment genre of westerns. This inspiration has led to Jason creating some amazing pieces of art that incorporate that tv and movie genre and even comment on it. The way Jason describes his relationship to the American West and the western genre is intriguing and I know you will appreciate his unique and creative perspective. Make sure to catch images of his work at the end of this post! Exploring Artist’s block Have you ever been stuck? Whether it’s getting stuck relationally, geographically, or professionally, it really sucks. What lessons have you learned from those occurrences in your life? Jason Cytacki goes right to the heart of this difficult and personal subject for many creative individuals. He talks about a chapter in his career when he faced a professional crossroads and he really couldn’t figure out which way to go. Jason goes on to describe this feeling of being in a new setting and almost having to rediscover his creative inspiration. Eventually what helped Jason work through this experience of artist’s block was getting an external perspective from people he trusted like his wife. If you’ve ever faced this frustrating experience, I think that you will find Jason’s story encouraging. Compound Growth as an Artist You’ve heard of the financial concept of “compound interest” but what about the artistic concept of “compound growth?” Do skill and creativity grow over time in steady increments in a similar fashion that interest grows in an investment account? In our conversation, my guest Jason Cytacki and I discuss the role of technical and creative growth and development over the course of an artist’s career. We both look back and chart how we’ve grown and how the concept of compound growth is one that rarely gets discussed in many artist circles. Hard work and Persistence that pays off There are a lot of opinions out there that go back and forth on the topic of “success” and the artist. Whether you land more on the “luck” side of the debate or on the “hard work” side of the debate, it’s helpful to hear from artists themselves and how they describe their journey. Getting their perspective on the subject grants unique insight into how they view their work and their place in the art community. My guest, Jason Cytacki spent time in our conversation to explain how he views the role of hard work and persistence in relation to his journey toward success. Outline of This Episode [1:30] My introduction to today’s guest, Jason Cytacki. [2:20] Jason talks about how he got his start as an artist. [10:00] Challenges when approaching the canvas. [15:00] Jason talks about his work inspired by the American West. [23:40] Memorable responses to Jason’s art work. [29:00] Facing “Artist's block.” [37:00] Compound growth and getting an external perspective. [41:00] Art work from a living artist that Jason would love to own. [42:00] Hardwork and persistence are key to Jason’s success. [44:00] The perfect day in the life of artist, Jason Cytacki. [47:00] Navigating the work and life divide as an artist. Other artists mentioned on this episode Maria Tomasula Resources Mentioned on this episode Jason’s website: jasoncytacki.com Jason’s Twitter page: twitter.com/jasoncytacki Book: The Pinball Effect Connect With Antrese On Facebook On Pinterest On Instagram On Twitter