You’re Not Stuck. You’re Refining.

In 1945, Picasso created a series of 11 lithographs of a bull. The first image is highly detailed — full of muscle, texture and realism. But with each drawing, he reduces the bull bit by bit. Lines disappear. Shading fades. By the final plate, it’s just a handful of bold marks.

The surprising thing? The bull is still completely recognisable. Maybe even more so.

It’s not unfinished. It’s just more focused.

This series came to mind after a mentoring session I had last week. My client was worried that things felt slow. That they weren’t producing as much, or growing in the same way they used to. They wondered if they’d lost momentum.

But sometimes, that feeling doesn’t mean you’re stuck. It means you’re refining.

When Progress Feels Quiet

We’re often told that creative progress should be exciting or loud. A new launch. A big shift. A sudden change. But in reality, some of the most important parts of creative growth are slower and quieter.

You might be working with more care. You might be saying more with less. You might be letting go of things that no longer fit. That doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. It means you’re paying attention.

Picasso didn’t make the final bull in one go. He made it by stripping back. Looking again. Trusting what could be left out.

We All Need Support Sometimes

I work with creative people across all stages of their career. Some are just starting out. Others have been doing it for over 30 years. The common thread is this: we all reach points where we question what we’re doing. Where we feel unsure.

Those moments aren’t a problem to fix. They’re a chance to look at things differently.

That’s where mentoring can help. It offers time, space and reflection. A chance to get clearer on what matters, and what you want to do next.

Want to Talk?

If this feels familiar, you’re not alone. You can book in a one to one session anytime here.

You’re not stuck. You’re refining.
Let’s figure out what matters, together.