Play as Process

Recently, I got the opportunity to do an “art trade” with my sister. She is an exceptionally talented tattoo artist, and gave me a magnificent piece on my arm in exchange for a colorful 30x40 canvas to put in her studio! She’s more of a fine-line realism artist, but she leans neo-trad, just for me! It was only right that I do something a little out of my norm, too.

I usually prefer watercolor, and can get very meticulous with my paintings. but I had a vision for a huge color-blocked mixed-media piece. the kind of work that can only come from experimentation and play. You can’t plan out haphazard strokes of pastel, or how paint will look scraped when it’s half-dry, and so I tried to throw caution to the wind.

Admittedly, halfway through this process I hated the piece. I felt like it looked juvenile and lacked depth. I put it aside for two months (sorry, Taylor). I looked at it wondering if i should start over, but I know that was my perfectionist talking. It just needed more love, more grace, and more layers!!!

I broke out every paint stick, pastel, pen, and spray can I had and went to town on the thing— marking and layering, and layering some more. I felt like a cartoon depiction of an “artist” where they are shown flinging paint at a canvas in a fit of inspiration. I hoped this was the way, but the more I flung, the less I cared about what the stroke would look like, and the more I was having fun just being a cartoon.

The process was full of joy, and in the end, I was so pleased with how it came out.