“In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
When Is a Painting Done?
Now that is a vital question. One that has been sitting with me a lot lately.
When is a painting actually finished?
Is it up to me to decide? Should I let someone else tell me when it is complete? Or is it the painting itself that lets me know?
I have come to believe it is the latter: the painting tells me.
Listening to the Work
There is a point in the creative process—sometimes early, sometimes painfully late—when the work seems to whisper,
“Enough. I am done.”
Other times, it stays quiet. Unsettled. It does not quite let go. In those moments, I know I am not there yet. It doesn’t matter how much time or energy I have already poured in.
Right now, I am sitting with a canvas I have been working on for quite some time. I have returned to it again and again—trying new things, changing direction, layering, covering up, starting over in places. And yet… it still feels incomplete.
Something is missing, but I can’t quite name what that is yet.
The Waiting Game
So for now, I have placed it in a space where I pass by it often. I see it daily, sometimes several times a day. I catch it out of the corner of my eye. I pause for a few seconds. I let it sit with me.
I am waiting for that subtle pull. That intuitive nudge that says: Now.
I have tried pushing it before. Forcing the finish. But that never works—it ends in frustration or detachment. And honestly, that is okay. I have learned to let it take the time it needs.
Creativity does not work on a strict schedule.
Inspiration does not respond to impatience.
The Beauty of Not Knowing
There is something strangely beautiful about this part of the process. It teaches patience. It humbles me. It reminds me that art is not just about the outcome—but about the relationship I build with the work itself.
The canvas becomes a quiet companion. It reflects not only color and texture. It also mirrors pieces of my own inner world. This happens sometimes even before I am fully aware of what is going on inside me.
I have included a photo of said canvas below. I am sure it is just a small adjustment it is waiting for. I am usually very conscious not to overwork a piece. But for now, I am simply sitting with it. Watching. Listening.
Until Then…
So no, I do not know when this painting will be done.
But I trust that I will know.
The painting will tell me—when it is ready.
Until then, I wait.
I listen.
I keep showing up.
Over to You…
Have you ever felt this with your own work—creative or otherwise? That quiet moment of knowing… or the restless space of waiting?
I would love to hear how you recognise when something is truly finished. Alternatively, how do you sit with the unknown in the meantime? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Let us inspire and learn from each other.
Until then, may your own process be kind to you.
And may your art, whatever form it takes, speak back when the time is right.
Thank you for stooping by
Kat
KitKatArt 