Study lines on creative work from East? That’s awkward (8)
I believe the answer is:
contrary
'awkward' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'study lines on creative work from east?' is the wordplay.
'study' becomes 'con' (I've seen this before).
'lines' becomes 'ry' (abbreviation for railway).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'creative work' becomes 'art'.
'from east?' says the letters should be written in reverse (I've seen 'from East' mean this).
'art' back-to-front is 'tra'.
'ry' put after 'tra' is 'trary'.
'con'+'trary'='CONTRARY'
'that's' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for contrary that I've seen before include "Quite like Mary" , "Opposed or perverse" , "Exact opposition" , "Carry out (command)" , "Opposite in meaning" .)