Art Is Never Finished, It’s Surrendered
Be stubborn with your dream. Be flexible with how you get there.
Quick bit of housekeeping before we dive in. I want to practice what I preach and take a short break from the Take It or Leave It section of the newsletter.
Just as a reminder, Take It or Leave It is for paid subscribers. We’ll be pausing paid subscriptions for the next month so I can take some time to recharge. We’ll be back soon with your questions and some fresh creative advice.
Thanks so much for your support and patience.
A few months ago, I came across this quote:
“Art is never finished, it’s surrendered.”
I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Because that’s what it feels like most of the time. Not “I did it,” but more like “this is all I’ve got.” It’s rarely a proud moment. It’s usually quiet, a little frustrating, and honestly, kind of painful. Not a triumphant ending, just the moment you let go.
Surrender.
That’s the thing about creating. You have to surrender to the work, to the process, and to your ego. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately—especially the moments when something isn’t working and I keep pushing anyway. Or when I’m trying to force a version of an idea that no longer feels right. Or when I’m so tired I can’t even remember what I was chasing in the first place.
Surrender shows up everywhere in the creative process. At the beginning, when you finally stop planning and just start. In the middle, when your perfect vision falls apart and you have to adjust. At the end, when you realize you could keep tweaking it forever, but it’s time to move on.
One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is that my plan isn’t always the best one. And as a creative who tries to control everything, that’s a tough pill to swallow. I used to get so locked into this version of success I had in my head that if something didn’t match it, I’d ignore it. I’d let opportunities pass me by because I couldn’t see how they fit. At the time, I told myself it was about staying true to the vision, but really, I was scared. Scared to pivot. Scared to look lost. Scared to admit I didn’t know how it was going to play out.
But the version in your head rarely matches the version that ends up working. That’s why I love what Kamasi Washington said in a video we made last year:
”Be stubborn with your dream. Be flexible with how you get there.”
That’s where I’m at right now. Still committed to the dream, but not obsessed with controlling how it happens. Still making and still caring, but holding it all a little more loosely.
Most burnout, at least for me, doesn’t come from doing too much. It comes from forcing something that doesn’t want to be forced. That might be a project. Or a pace. Or an identity you’ve outgrown. You’re not tired because you’re working hard. You’re tired because you’re fighting your own creative process.
Surrender sounds beautiful in theory. But in practice, it’s brutal. It feels like quitting. Failure. Like walking away from something you thought you were supposed to push through. But sometimes surrender is the only way forward. Not quitting, just loosening the grip enough to hear what the work is actually trying to say.
That’s where I am right now. Trying to listen better. Trying to trust more. Trying to remember that creativity is alive, and it’s not something you control—it’s something you trust, and that trust doesn’t come from knowing the outcome, it comes from showing up.
So if you’re stuck or burnt out or questioning whether what you’re making is even worth it… same. You’re not alone. But maybe the next right step isn’t to push harder. Maybe it’s to breathe, release, and begin again.
When you stop gripping the work so tightly, it starts to move again. New ideas show up, joy creeps back in, and the pressure lifts. And you remember—this is what it’s supposed to feel like.
Alive. Honest. Yours.
Surrender is the creative process.
Keep creating and repeating,
Zack
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This week we’re excited to highlight Amanda McCreight, an Artist, Creative Director, and writer from Long Island, New York. In her Substack, she’s offering advice and sharing lessons from her own experience in the professional world.
A piece of advice that’s shaped her journey:
“Don’t be afraid to start. Inexperience can be your superpower. If no one is telling you how to do your job, there’s a guarantee that you’ll do it differently than everyone else.”
Check out one of her favorite pieces:
Create.Repeat is a community for creatives.
The Create.Repeat Substack is a project designed to be a weekly diary on creativity. Sharing inspiration for artists to keep creating and repeating.
Written and curated by Zack Evans & James Warren Taylor
Each week we will be sharing recent thoughts on creativity, some links helping us stay creative, and a talent show featuring an artist from the community. Thank you for engaging with us.
History repeats. Create the future.
Thanks so much for featuring me!!💥❤️I love everything you guys share!