Every once in a while I feel like a kid with my first set of crayons. It usually happens when I discover a new art medium or a new way of expression. Recently, I noticed a friend posting lovely paintings done in acrylic markers. I immediately sensed that this could be a great tool for sketching, doodling, accenting and illustration. This week I picked up a small set and played around with them. Play is a word that gets knocked around. It suggests being childish and perhaps immature. Instead of celebrating the beginner and the child within us there is a pressure to look a certain established way. It sometimes seems that a one way only sign is posted for mid career artists and other professionals who want to explore different pathways.
I think that’s a shame. Exploration is a hallmark of creativity. It’s an intimidating one too. When I share a work that I feel is experimental, and outside of my wheel house, I feel vulnerable.
Risk taking is a part of creating and so is failure. We tend to embrace the success of others and in this age of selfies and photoshopped lives the difficulties and discoveries that lead to success are stripped away.
Some of my best work has come from opening myself to something new. Introspection, intuition, and a new way of seeing can come from taking risks.
This little painting was fun, challenging and helped me rethink my relationship to line. It felt like writing a poem with paint. The idea for this piece came from observing the new greens of early summer. I know that this common color hides a riot beneath, waiting for fall.
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