The Art of Playful Experimentation
If there is one thing that an Artist usually excels at above most other talents is the ability to play. We love to have fun, let loose and live that Wonderland experience to the max. As children our imagination is our gateway to our creative side as we smear, splash and bang away at our creative play. Picasso said that “All children are born Artists, it’s staying that way that is the challenge”. Those of us that nurture our Right Brain see the world in a bright Kaleidoscope of wonder that can express both our happiest and darkest experiences.
We are usually fairly proficient at experimentation as well, boldly trying out our ideas without worry, unless of course we start to think that we have found “Our true Voice”. Once we think we have reached that point, where it all just falls into place and happens. We abandon that very thing that got us there, experimentation. We often are so sure that this is it; the holy grail of our ability that we become enslaved to that “style”. We stop doing anything that does not look, sound or follow that “True Voice”. Soon the enslavement leads to complacent behavior and the child artist inside us starts to die.
Often our motivation is an honest one. We are making money at what we are doing; we must be true to our following or if we change we may lose our hard won audience. These are all good reasons for thinking twice before changing what you are doing but lousy reasons for abandoning “Play”.
Our journey as an Artist should be to serve only one master and that is our playful Creative Soul. This Creative Soul should be your only concern; not the payday, the Galleries or the Concert stage. Only your Creative Soul is important because when you deprive your Soul of the very thing that feeds and nourishes it unpleasant stuff can happen.
What sort of “stuff” you ask? It could be as benign as a loss of interest in what you do or it could be a deep unrest that is dragging you down. It could also be as severe as a depression that paralyzes your very ability you are trying to preserve. Just remember that there is hope to get you out of this and that is experimental play. Play like you’re in Kindergarten again; sing silly songs, paint without a brush or dance to the Tella Tubbies silly music. Whatever puts you into that playful place and once you are there start to experiment with anything and everything you do. Have fun creating after all if it isn’t fun, why are you bothering to do it?
If you are really stuck and forget how to play spend time with a 5 year old child they will show you how it’s done, better still a whole room full of 5 year olds and ask them to paint, sing and dance with you, abandon all your rules and pre-set belief system and just have fun. Fun is the magic elixir that gives life to the Creative Soul, so play on!
Have a wonderful Holiday Season and see you back here in the New Year!
Sandra Taylor Hedges
If there is one thing that an Artist usually excels at above most other talents is the ability to play. We love to have fun, let loose and live that Wonderland experience to the max. As children our imagination is our gateway to our creative side as we smear, splash and bang away at our creative play. Picasso said that “All children are born Artists, it’s staying that way that is the challenge”. Those of us that nurture our Right Brain see the world in a bright Kaleidoscope of wonder that can express both our happiest and darkest experiences.
We are usually fairly proficient at experimentation as well, boldly trying out our ideas without worry, unless of course we start to think that we have found “Our true Voice”. Once we think we have reached that point, where it all just falls into place and happens. We abandon that very thing that got us there, experimentation. We often are so sure that this is it; the holy grail of our ability that we become enslaved to that “style”. We stop doing anything that does not look, sound or follow that “True Voice”. Soon the enslavement leads to complacent behavior and the child artist inside us starts to die.
Often our motivation is an honest one. We are making money at what we are doing; we must be true to our following or if we change we may lose our hard won audience. These are all good reasons for thinking twice before changing what you are doing but lousy reasons for abandoning “Play”.
Our journey as an Artist should be to serve only one master and that is our playful Creative Soul. This Creative Soul should be your only concern; not the payday, the Galleries or the Concert stage. Only your Creative Soul is important because when you deprive your Soul of the very thing that feeds and nourishes it unpleasant stuff can happen.
What sort of “stuff” you ask? It could be as benign as a loss of interest in what you do or it could be a deep unrest that is dragging you down. It could also be as severe as a depression that paralyzes your very ability you are trying to preserve. Just remember that there is hope to get you out of this and that is experimental play. Play like you’re in Kindergarten again; sing silly songs, paint without a brush or dance to the Tella Tubbies silly music. Whatever puts you into that playful place and once you are there start to experiment with anything and everything you do. Have fun creating after all if it isn’t fun, why are you bothering to do it?
If you are really stuck and forget how to play spend time with a 5 year old child they will show you how it’s done, better still a whole room full of 5 year olds and ask them to paint, sing and dance with you, abandon all your rules and pre-set belief system and just have fun. Fun is the magic elixir that gives life to the Creative Soul, so play on!
Have a wonderful Holiday Season and see you back here in the New Year!
Sandra Taylor Hedges