functional, decorative, conceptual

It is a month since I last wrote and I feel I have wasted a lot of time instead of being productive. I have made some stock for my future exhibitions, but I am quite stuck in ideas and feel isolated from other artists. I have the feeling that if I was in a group studio I would progress more just by having exchanges with others. It doesn't help that the children have been on holiday for a month. I am thinking to painting and ceramics at the same time and I hope that the creative process will converge. In my painting I want to create a feeling of landscape with multiple layers of watercolor and I am stuck after the first layer, it is a paralyzing fear to spoil what is there, it does not permit me to go further. I struggle to understand the essence of composition, I am not clear in my mind where I want to go: should I try to create a certain scene, or let it form as I go along? Should I make 50 beginnings? how do I judge them, when do I know whether they are finished, what do they say? I enjoy making the first layer and then I know which bits I like, I could crop them or photograph the sections (second and third image), but I think this is not taking me further in my search even if enjoyable and the resulting paintings are good just as birthday cards!