What if? Do you believe that you, as of right now, could be an expert painter, no experience needed? I didn’t think so, but I know for sure there is an artist inside of every human being, as there is perfect life in every tree and plant.
Life itself is an artist, but the question is how to access that perfection. It’s hard with our harsh self critic ruling the roost and because of society’s harsh judgment of art in general.
The famous painters are famous because they broke rules (not counting the artists of the Renaissance since they wrote the rules, haha.) Hard to compare yourself to Rembrandt and Michelangelo…
However, what if you just let yourself play?? Just to see what would happen when you put brush to paper or canvas.
Without expectations.
Without goal in mind.
Without agenda and work in the moment.
Without a sketch or plan? You know it’s possible because there are lots of abstract artists out there. Some you like and some you don’t but it’s irrelevant.
I have been painting like that for some time, and I’m not alone. A whole revolution of painters working on instinct alone and following their desires in the moment are taking the art world by storm.
Some of the art is beautiful, some not, but again, judgment is not needed. How does the energy speak to you? That is what touches us when we look at art. What do you receive?
If it touches that place of recognition inside of us, we feel that the art is perfect, no matter what the subject matter, if any.
I find it very liberating to paint this way. It’s not exactly pretty or awesome, but it makes me happy. Maybe someone feels happy when they look at my art? That is not something I worry about, however.
The process is to pick a color you want to use and start painting. It could be swaths of colors, lines, doodles, symbols like birds and sun or dots. What would you paint if you weren’t afraid to start? Or if it didn’t matter what colors you picked? Maybe they look horrible together, but you wanted to use them.
Every time you get stuck painting ask yourself what you would do if you weren’t afraid of messing it up. Mess it up!
Be bold.
The above painting is weird and I have no clue where it’s going. I know it’s not finished even though I covered the entire canvas with paint. What I’ll do is ask myself, what would feel good to add.
Without pressure or aim.
This is freedom in painting! If you haven’t tried it, I guarantee that you have something inside that wants to come out and paint. It is basically a life changing experience as we move past the “what ifs, ” and the “shoulds.”
Open up your life and paint!
Have a great, creative weekend.
xo
Maria
P.S. I have some new things in etsy shop this week. Unique gifts for the artsy kind. EARTH AND FAERY.
Great post, thank you for this!
Thank you, Christine. 🙂