Is It Time For You To "Paint Like A Child?"

I've decided to change up the background of my blog to give it a splash of color.  I think beautiful, vibrant colors evoke positive, even joyful feelings and emotions.  The template is not mine, but comes with the blogger layouts.  I chose the watercolor background with splashes of orange, red, violet, and lavender, because it gives my blog a fresh, artsy look.  One of my favorite things about art is the ability to play with and blend colors.  Mixing paints allows me to connect with my inner child, explore, and just play. 

Today I saw a news report about an artist who works with her two-year-old to create some of the most amazing art pieces.  According to the report, she allows her daughter to make designs and then the artist attempts to paint what she thinks her daughter is imagining.  Ruth Oosterman and her daughter have incredibly impressive pieces. The money she makes from selling the art goes toward her child's college fund.  I love this story because it not only shows a mother and daughter working collaboratively on creative endeavors, but it's a pretty crafty way to earn the funds for her daughter's future education!  You can see how they work together through time lapsed videos on Youtube.  Here's an example:

                                

I'm sharing the above story, not only because I like the collaborative creative efforts of mother and daughter, but because Oosterman referred to a particularly moving quote by Pablo Picasso: 

"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child." 

The quote rang so true for me.  I had recently discussed with some artistic friends of mine the pros and cons of being critical about one's own art.  Often times we try so hard to make things perfect that we forget to truly enjoy the creative process.  When children paint or draw it is all about being creative, exploring, and having fun.  As adult artists we sometimes lose that ability, struggling to make our art match up with a created ideal or what our inner critic tells us is the right way to make/create/draw/paint something.

"Sunny Days," by Dayna Winters

As I thought about the quote I remember a painting I completed a few months back, titled "Sunny Days," and how I struggled with the painting for weeks trying to get every element just right.  I can remember the frustration that would crop up and take away from the joy of the creation process.  I often had to walk away from the piece and return to it later, just so I wouldn't become too negative about my art.  I learned from the experience though - if I find myself getting frustrated I recognize that I am trying too hard to please my inner critic - it's time for me to just relax and enjoy!

So, if you find yourself self-critical and hard on yourself as you view your own art, then maybe it's time for you to "paint like a child."  Remember the days when there was no pressure, when playing with paints, crayons, markers, pens, pencils, pastels, or any other medium was about discovery, not about creating a piece to meet any kind of expectation.  Let your art be about blending, movement, emotion, and the sheer joy derived from creating!