The magic of the art-making process

Today’s blog post is written a little different than most as the words came to me while engaging in my art-making process. As an art therapist and an artist, art-making has been a part of my life for many years yet has shifted in my overall approach. I invite you to read the words below as possible inspiration for the next time you may encounter feelings of frustration regarding the art-making process and creating product oriented work.

I have an idea in mind; the colors, textures, shapes and forms

I grab all my supplies and start

One color at a time

One form at a time

Trying to make my idea come to life

And then…

Disappointment

Frustration

Even some anger

That it’s not turning out how I wanted. That what is on the surface beneath me isn’t the same as the image in my mind. Why can I not create what I had in mind?

I take a deep breath.

I invite my body to soften.

Gently, I grant myself permission

To be

To play

To simply enjoy the process

And that’s when it all shifts

I shift my focus to how the paint feels beneath the brush

How the colors make me feel

The sensations present in my body

And then it comes…

Joy

Peace

Ease

Art-Making

Process > product

I hope this post serves as a reminder that there’s so much more to art-making than what we create. It is an experience of tapping into our inner child, allowing ourselves time to play, to engage our sense and to be present in the moment.