Artist Quote by Gretel Ehrlich
“We are often like rivers: careless and forceful, timid and dangerous, lucid and muddied, eddying, gleaming, still. Lovers, farmers, and artists have one thing in common, at least - a fear of 'dry spells,' dormant periods in which we do no blooming, internal droughts only the waters of imagination and psychic release can civilize.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "Rivers" from the collection "The Dream of the Bees", 1995
Human creativity fluctuates between vibrant flow and stagnant drought, and we fear those quiet periods where imagination seems blocked.
In simple terms: Creative energy waxes and wanes, causing anxiety about inactivity.
Key Takeaway
Embrace stillness as fertile ground for new ideas.
Themes
creativity
fear
stagnation
imagination
growth
Mood
reflective
hopeful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
motivational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- artist block
- writer's block
- creative pause
- periodic inspiration
- renewal
Key Concepts
psychic release
artistic cycles
inner drought
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you transform a perceived creative drought into a period of incubation?
- What practices help you recognize the value of quiet moments?
A Different Perspective
Stillness can become a source of insight if we allow reflection rather than panic.
