Perfection kills creativity

If you like to paint, write or create in general, you might recognise the feeling of being intimidated by a blank page or canvas. That is true for most of us, I think. The fear is that you can make the wrong move at the very start of the process. And that urge to be perfect can kill our sense of innovation and playfulness. 

Each time when I start thinking about new work in terms of how it's going to be received, the magic of creating seems to disappear. But it’s not always possible to wait for inspiration to magically touch you every time you want to create something – sometimes you must invite that inspiration into your space!

One of my favourite artists is Jan -Michel Basquiat. I love the way he can express himself as if with no predetermined calculation or planning. His work seems so free and childlike yet is full of depth, emotion, and symbolism.

I've noticed that with my work, the most freedom I have is when I work in my sketchbook. So, this year I've decided to explore the spontaneous way of creating and spread it in all directions - painting, sculpting and designing.

The picture above started from just putting blocks of colour together. The original idea was to play with colours and create an abstract piece of work. But guess what? Suddenly I started seeing the shape of the horse and from there on the paper took me into totally different direction. A picture and its story emerged, and this is how "Trojan Horse" was created. It’s a perfect way to create art, as it’s me at my most authentic and free!

I encourage you to experiment a little and start drawing, painting, or writing in a sketchbook. It helps with a 'busy' mind :). 

Happy creating!

Joanna