Not Knowing: Sitting with a Painting Mid-Process

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Deb Chaney's studio worktable with an in-progress painting. A handwritten not pinned to the wall above reads "The only problem is that I think there is a problem".

There’s always a special kind of excitement at the beginning of a painting. An idea arrives. A colour inspires me. And I lay down the structure, knowing exactly where to begin.

For this new 36" x 36" piece, I began with earthy brick reds and coffee grounds worked into textured layers—and a loose grid structure that immediately felt full of possibility.

The beginning is rarely the hard part.

What’s more challenging is the middle.

That place where the initial excitement fades, the finished painting has yet to reveal itself, and I'm suddenly standing in uncertainty, trying to figure out my next steps and discover what the work wants to become.

That’s exactly where this painting is right now.

Mid-process.

One of my favourite ways to navigate this stage is surprisingly simple: I put the painting away.

Sometimes I literally turn it upside down against the wall and give my brain a rest from trying to solve it. Time has a way of helping me see things differently. What felt confusing one day often reveals itself later.

I'm curious if you noticed the handwritten note on the wall in the photo above. It reads: “The only problem is that I think there’s a problem.”

Some days, that sums up the creative process perfectly.

Lately, I think what I’m learning most is to trust the not knowing. To allow uncertainty. To let the painting unfold at its own pace.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. How do you handle projects or even life moments that feel mid-process—where the initial excitement has faded and the end still isn’t clear yet? Do you have ways of navigating uncertainty while something is still becoming?

To see the paintings that came out the other side, my Portfolio Overview is a great place to start.

If something resonates or you'd like to see my artwork in person, my studio is open by appointment. Reach out via my Contact page if you're in the area.

PS: This is the latest in a series of posts about my new painting series and my creative practice. Read the previous post here if you missed it.