I have a question too.
What do you do when youv'e lost your mojo?
I'm not kidding. I have considerable artistic talent as well, I've actually sold quite a few portraits. The thing is I just stopped doing it over ten years ago and I just can't get back into it. I try and I just lose focus and give up. This ever happen to you?
I haven't been through a stretch that long to actually "lose" it, as you put it. But it's kind of like muscle memory, to use an analogy--if you've had it once before, you can regain it and even surpass it.
My question is: why did you give it up in the first place? And do you really want to get back into it? Because if you want to bad enough, you'll find the focus. Perhaps you just need the proper motivation. What worked for me (and still to this day) is looking for an artist who is doing well, but sucks worse than myself. That was enough fire to get me to say, "I'll show them..." Then I'd practice and market myself like hell, often trying to find ways to push my art in his/her clients' faces.
Another thing is perhaps you've never had a proper critique (at least not one in a long time) from another pro; not knowing what to improve on will get you stuck and uninspired. PM me if you're serious about getting better, and I'll be more than happy to look at your work if you've got a thick skin.
I actually do quite a bit of commissioned portrait work myself, but due to deadlines with other projects, I've had to cut that down.
Best,
SM