It's time to play

This is my favorite painting that I've made.

Play is important. Like REALLY important! I’ve forgotten that lately. In my push to improve my work, get more work, and life in general, I’ve let go of play. I think it shows up in my work. I keep thinking about all the preliminary play Melissa Sweet does in the beginning of her projects. I want some of that in my life.

Work in progress.

So with that in mind, I pulled out some old canvases that weren’t working and just started gluing on different papers, smearing paint around. When I paint for fun, I don’t worry about what the end result will be, I just start playing. The hardest part is making that next mark, unsure if it will make or break the painting. I have to remind myself that this is just for fun and if I hate it, I’ll just cover it all over. I have a few canvases with a lot of layers that didn't work under a painting that really works. I think all of those layers make the final piece just work even though you can’t see most of them. Painting like this requires a bit of bravery and a lot of letting go. I make a lot of bad paintings. It just doesn’t matter. Every once in awhile I fall in love with one of them and the process keeps me sane.

I've repainted this canvas several times.

Go out and paint! Here's some books that'll get you started:

Brave Intuitive Painting by Flora Bowley 

Painted Pages by Sarah Ahearn Bellemare 

Daring Adventures in Paint by Mati RoseMcDonough 

Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts 

Not sure about this one yet, but it's growing on me.