Powering Through Artistic Paralysis

Last week I started this piece. It was quite different and exciting, but I painted myself into a center (not a corner:)). This was a painting that just flowed out of my brush without much planning. As you can see, I got to a point where I couldn't figure out how to resolve the area around the heron. Every time I looked at the overpowering white amidst the colorful painted areas, I just was paralysed with the fear of ruining something that I liked. I tried out certain ideas with pieces of paper, just to cover the glaring white, but I really couldn't get a clear vision of the completed piece, thus postponed working on it.

Yesterday I returned to the studio with determination to finish the painting. I started with extending the rock pattern from one side to the other, behind the heron, connecting the sides. Then I wet the upper portion and softened the edge so I could continue the petroglyph wall to the heron. I suggested petroglyphs and let it fade out. I decided to put water below and indicate water with some flowing symbols, and make the enclosed blue areas into puddles with circular marks.

I'm not sure where it came from, but it seems to have some power.

Food Web, 15 x 22