If you ask them, about 98% of children will say they are artists and approach art making with joy and self assurance. Sadly, by the time they become young adults, that number is about 2%. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, the gift of playfulness is too often traded for self criticism. The large and free flowing paintings proudly displayed in childhood become small tight drawnings hidden under hands and turned face down.
There are many theories as to why this happens. I believe that without nurturing it, we lose the ability to access that playful, creative part of our selves. What do you think?
Play is a means of discovery. This is how I typically approach a theme: intuitively and with open possibilities, playing with immediate response, moving and removing images, arranging and rearranging. I rarely know ahead of time what the end result will be until it is "discovered."The theme for this month's art exchange was "interior."
Starting with bare walls and floor, I filled the room with unexpected images rather than furniture. Working intuitively up to this point, the quote by Claude Debussy came to mind and the child's hand was added reaching into the space.
"I wish to sing of my interior visions with the naive candor of a child."
Honor your creative spirit and make time to play and discover something new every day.