Getting playful in art-making

These last few weeks I’ve been LOVING exploring new art materials. As someone who creates art for a living, I always jump at the chance to try new things and bring some exciting play into my practice!

This week, I bought myself some new golden paints in pinks and purples, as well as some pink watercolour pencils, lino blocks, carving tools and transparent YUPO paper. It feels like I’m a kid again when I make art and simply play with different mediums to see what they can do.

For me, PLAY is the basis of trying out new creative combinations to use in my art. Being playful means testing how mediums and ideas might or might not work, expressing my feels and quite simply, enjoying my life in the moment.

I wrote a post on instagram this week about play in art-making. When we focus on enjoying the process of creating, it takes any pressure off needing to create a ‘perfect’ end product.

Personally, when I create, it feels like I empty all the knots out of my stomach and give myself the chance to explore my bohemian energy freely. I can muck things up without being precious because I can simply transform any parts I don’t love with more paint, or turn them into collage pieces. What a beautiful metaphor for living - just keep working with what you’ve got and stay curious to new approaches and pivots.

I can definitely attribute much of my playful approach to art-making, to working with kids for 20+ years. In fact, working with kids is so fun and freeing, it brings me many fresh new ideas and approaches to my own creativity.

Check out some of the beautiful work my students have created this term …

And these beautiful creations from my September school holiday workshops …

If you’ve been feeling the call to get creative, it really doesn’t have to be a big deal. Grab yourself some pens and a notepad and maybe some watercolours and see what happens. Try mixing new colours, drawing with your eyes closed and filling the gaps between your lines with colour (Mr Squiggle style!) 

Start without a plan and see where the process approach takes you. Life feels a whole lot lighter when we let ourselves play!

PS. You’ve been asking, so here it is! I’ve just released a new Women’s Intuitive Art Class option to BOOK MY STUDIO for you and up to 6 friends for a whole day of tuition and art-making. Find out more HERE.

PPS. My Kids Intuitive Art Classes are now open for bookings for Term 4, from my Redcliffe home studio, in-school and New Farm locations. CLICK HERE to learn more.

Yours in colour,

Chrissy x