When I began my daily creative practice a few years back, I was simply looking for something fun to do with my hands. A visual + tactical way to engage in art, color and shape by inviting joy and play into my day. 3 years in and the lessons I continue to learn from this practice are oh-so-good.
I like being a student. As a Type-A, hyper-productive, multi-tasker I tend to gravitate towards things I’m good at. Things I know how to do. Routines, meals to cook, routes to drive, places to shop…I stick to the familiar because it’s comfortable and known. But, in my daily practice, I am finding the relief in being the student. The novice. The person with literally no skill that’s learning day by day to be a little better at my craft. And OH is it SO MUCH MORE FUN to be the student! I don’t have to have all the answers. I can be bad. Really bad. I can ask questions, and learn, and try, and fail and move on to try again. Slowly, this outlook is seeping into the rest of my days as I push myself out of the comfortable bubble I typically live in. I’m asking more questions, meeting more strangers and exploring new places. Life is richer because of this.
Spontaneity is FUN. No surprise to anyone, but spontaneity has not typically been my strong suit. Through art though, I’m learning to embrace spontaneity, mess, and wonder. Starting each day with no plan as to what I’ll make and just seeing where it leads has been good for my art, and good for my days. I’m less protective of my schedule, less focused on my to-do list and more focused on connection + joy in each day.
The power of community and connection. Originally, I began this journey just for me. As a way to process the changes happening in my life around divorce, job transition, life upheaval. As I continue to practice and build connections, I love finding others who also lead a creative life. Strangers who become friends, friends who become co-creators. The depth of conversation + connection when you are routed in a creative life is DEEP and powerful. It’s this learning that’s giving me the itch to build out more content and workshops and classes to bring this creative practice into your days. More on that in weeks to come.
Mistakes happen. I have perfectionist tendencies, overthinking and analyzing every. single. decision. Art has taught me to let go. Just a little. To just play and sling paint and make messes and see what happens. Often, it’s a disaster. But even in those moments, I find something I like about a piece of art I made. A color palette I want to focus on a bit more. A shape that’s just right. A song I really like to create to. Allowing room for error, embracing the imperfection and celebrating mess is kind of where my days are right now, and somehow that feels more perfect than the imagined perfection ever did.
