The Urge to Express Authentically
Expressive art requires no special talent, skill or inspiration. Because your original style is already within, you are already good enough to begin expressing yourself.
You are creative and whole, now and always. Authentic creative expression simply amplifies and reminds you of your wholeness.
Talent Arises Out of Self-Love and Acceptance
Your creativity is available at all times and needs only an invitation to reawaken. True "talent" as an artist comes from taking risks and being willing to express everything - light and dark.
In my opinion, "good" art is authentic art, no matter what it looks like. In authentic art, you do not pre-plan anything. You can learn to embrace whatever you express without judgment.
As soon as you try to create something "good" it is easy to become tense and self-critical. Authentic creativity is about loving yourself just as you are, allowing yourself to express yourself without shame or judgment.
I invite you to explore and learn more about creating without pre-planning.
Painting for Product or Process
I once visited an artist who had two distinct styles of painting. Her one style was realistic. She laboured over her realistic paintings, placing a heavy emphasis upon trying out new techniques. She told me that she liked to challenge her mind to stretch in new artistic ways and that she often copied other artist's styles.
"I work very hard on these paintings!" she told me. This is what I would call her cultivated style. She painted this body of work for the results they produced.
When I pointed out several of her almost primitive, tribal paintings on her studio wall she laughed. "Oh, those are easy!" She exclaimed. "I do those just for myself for relaxation. I have been drawing like that since I was a child." She told me that her intuitive paintings just poured out of her effortlessly but that she thought they were strange and not very marketable.
To me, her intuitive paintings were beautiful. They were alive, full of risk and adventure. These paintings were an outpouring of her natural, intuitive style. She painted this body of work for the passion of the creative process.
Two Ways to Fall in Love with Your Innate Creativity:
It is my intention, through these spontaneous art challenges, that you fall in love with your own creative process - and your true self along the way. If you have not tried creating spontaneously since you were a child you will be amazed at the worlds upon inner worlds for you to discover. Spontaneous creativity is truly an endless adventure.
1. 30 Day Expressive Drawing Challenges
I invite you to explore a 30 day spontaneous creative practice to see what it opens up inside of you. Try making mandalas, intuitive drawing or inner child drawing for 30 days just to see how you will change by the end of the process.
I invite you to create 90 spontaneous collages and post them on Instagram and hashtag #collageforselfdiscovery
Many have already participated in this challenge. You can visit all the wonderful collages HERE
Tag me @shelleyklammer if you would like me to witness your process.
Inspiration for Your 90 Day Collage Challenge
