Over the years, one remark that always gets to me when I’m working on a creative project is when someone says, “I wish I could do that.” It makes me sad when someone thinks they don’t have the ability to paint, or draw, or whatever other form of creative expression they’re admiring. I think too many people believe this because society has somehow turned art and creative expression into a pursuit of perfection. Society has also commodified creation, pressuring creatives to turn every outlet into revenue, amping up the chase for perfection. Somewhere along the way, the joy of creation is lost and discouragement takes over. Even the increased use of AI art is driven by this feeling not being a “good enough” artist.
This narrative simply isn’t true. Pick up the paintbrush. Pick up the tools: the crochet hook, the jewelry pliers, the needle, the fabric, the wood block, the clay. Make something. It doesn’t have to be “good.” You just have to enjoy the process. Go into the experience without the intent to make a specific thing. Don’t have a full picture in your head. Don’t pressure yourself to show your creation off or compare it to something someone else has done. Strip creative expression back to its core and let it be about the process.
It’s human nature to want to create—to make. Our August issue highlights a variety of incredible local makers: the artisans of Indie Craft Parade, a jewelry maker focused on calming anxiety, the minds behind the creation of delicious dishes. While these makers have combined their abilities with careers, we hope that what shines through most in their stories is their joy of creating.
So, if you are one of those people who wish you were creative, stop discrediting yourself. You don’t even have to create something from scratch. Buy a kit with instructions. Enjoy building something. You don’t have to be Van Gogh to enjoy painting. You don’t need to be a master carpenter to enjoy woodworking. Just do those things for the love of doing them without placing pressure on a need to pursue perfection. It might be messy. Your project may not turn out how you intended. But that’s how skills grow and it should not diminish the joy of making. My favorite personal projects have all gone through moments of me feeling they are total messes. Building off of those messes has led to new skills or happy accidents that turned out better than expected. But more importantly, they gave me space to process emotions, to sit still, and to enjoy the process. So go ahead and make the mess. It’s worth it.
Pick up the brush
Don’t know where to start, but want to do something creative? These are the steps I take when I just want to paint, but don’t know what to do.
- Gather up supplies: A surface to paint (canvas, paper, wood, etc.), a cup for water, a rag for wiping brushes, something to use as a paint palette (I use old take-out container lids), and brushes. Pro tip: get a spray bottle with water for extra fun with textures and keeping your surface wet.
- Start by putting together a playlist of songs that match the mood you’re feeling and click play.
- Listen to the music and let how you feel in response to it help you pick out colors. Just go with your gut.
- Start painting. Don’t have a picture in mind? Just do sweeping motions. Feeling angry? Dab the paint aggressively onto your canvas. Does the music you’re listening to make you think of something specific? Paint it. It doesn’t have to look realistic. It doesn’t have to be anything. Does a certain song lyric catch your attention? Latch onto that. Put that song on repeat until you feel you’ve worked through that emotion it brought.
- The goal is not to create a masterpiece. The goal is to just allow yourself creative expression. Match the energy of how you put strokes on the canvas to whatever you’re feeling. The image on the canvas will likely change multiple times before reaching the end result. People give Jackson Pollock a hard time, but his work was always more about the process and the “event” of painting than the final product. That’s what your paint session should be: an exploration of creativity and emotion rather than a pursuit of perfection.
