Almost every artist in the world will have experienced the dreaded creative block. Even when the time is right, you want to work, and everything is set up for you to do so, sometimes it just won’t happen.

Artists throughout history have had to dance the dance with this problem, and have found their own methods for dealing with it. Picasso turned to poetry in the mid-1930s when he couldn’t stand to look at his own paintings. Poet William Blake, on the other hand, found that mentoring younger artists reinvigorated his love for art-making in the 1810s after a self-organized exhibition went awry, leaving him depressed. Different strokes for different folks.

This year we’ve been chatting with some of our favorite artists about how they work through (or, as the case may be, specifically don’t work through) creative block. From long walks and visits to Japanese markets to gritting their teeth and pushing through, this is what today’s rising art stars do to get back in the creative groove.

Janaina Tschäpe: Better Safe Than Sorry

Portrait of Janaina Tschäpe in her studio. Photo: Vicente de Paulo. Courtesy of Janaina Tschäpe Studio.

“I don’t really get stuck in the traditional sense because each painting naturally leads to the next. However, if I do feel blocked on a specific piece, I simply put it aside rather than risk ruining it. Over time, I’ve learned the importance of knowing when to stop and step back. It’s a maturity that comes with years of experience, allowing me to control the process and approach each work with patience.”

Kate Pincus Whitney: Japanese Markets

Artist Kate Pincus-Whitney in her LA Studio. Photo: Stephanie Macris. Courtesy of the artist.

“When I feel stuck it is usually that I am over-thinking, I’ve allowed ego into the studio and created invisible boundaries that I don’t allow the painting to pass. At that point (which honestly ends up with me in tears), I have to leave and spend time in nature.

“But if it’s bad, then it’s to the market for salvation. I will take a two-hour stroll in my local Japanese market, Mitsuwa, and then cook for hours. Inviting friends to come join is like tapping into the same way I relate to material, like painting but a more direct action of love and care.”

Lee Quiñones: Change the Subject

Lee Quiñones in his studio. Photo: Min Chen.

“I listen to music. I go do something totally different: I’m gonna go clean my car, I’m gonna go talk to some guys about nuts and bolts or something. Then I just feel my way through the darkness and come back. Maybe I have nothing to say at that moment and that’s okay. Should I be here making 30 paintings a week and have a massive amount of work all over the world? Or should it be, you know, ‘Lee’s only got 3,000 works in his whole lifetime’? Let them be masterpieces.”

Yu Hong: The Only Way Out Is Through

Artist Yu Hong in her studio. Courtesy Yu Hong.

“Creative bottlenecks and stagnation happen every day. Life isn’t always forward-moving, and stagnation can be beneficial. It allows for accumulation and reflection. The only way to overcome it is to keep painting; eventually, you work through it without realizing it.”

Sarah Ball: Walk it Out 

Artist Sarah Ball in her studio. Photo © Alban Roinard. Courtesy of Stephen Friedman Gallery, New York.

“If I feel stuck or feel that the painting isn’t going as well as I’d like, I go for a walk. That’s always my answer—to walk on the beach or around the headland.”

Lee Bae: It’s Part of the Gig

Lee Bae at work in his studio. Courtesy of Perrotin New York.

“Every time I work in my studio, not just when preparing for exhibitions, I often feel uncertain and overwhelmed. However, I know that creating artwork is not about finding answers. It’s about encountering art through my emotions and aspirations. Artists could be seen as constantly struggling with a poverty of imagination, but I believe that living with this uncomfortable situation is precisely what makes an artist’s life.”

Woody de Othello: Keep Faith 

Woody De Othello. Courtesy of the artist.

“I take a break and get outside in nature somewhere, usually go on a nice hike or run, maybe ride my bike and make a nice meal. I try to make sure I get the proper rest and keep faith that something will turn out.”

Saskia Noor van Imhoff: Keep Peeling 

Saskia Noor. Photo: Nikola Lanburo. Courtesy of the artist.

“I feel like I just stay curious. A lot of my work is about researching and investigating—peeling back the layers on something—so if it is taking me somewhere I didn’t expect, I don’t feel stuck, per se… what I am finding just becomes a new aspect of the work.”