I’ve struggled in the past with creative blocks and finding ideas on what to create. Overcoming this has not only fundamentally changed how I do art, but how I feel about my art.

First, I owe a great deal to Pic Michel, who taught me a different way to see the life around me and exposed me to other ways to create and feel during the creative process.

Like most of my art over the past couple of years, I’ll pick up from leftover/dirty water and paint from the day before and start laying it all down. The grit, fibers, dust, and other artifacts that stumble into the art often add something unique to the piece. Sometimes I do have an idea that I want to get across and I will have clean water and a cleaner workspace, but really all I want to do is play and tap into my inner child. My painting sessions typically only last for less than an hour or two…sometimes much less.

My method of creating art is a process I need to go through that is a bit of therapy where I lose myself deep enough into the music of my inner self and forget about the stress of the rest of the world. Where I’m able to tap deep enough into my core to remind myself what is “true” and what’s most important…what matters most.

I know myself well enough that I get the most out of my painting by this process. I don’t care much for the finished piece, and that the final product only serves as a reminder of that moment in time. The only struggle is trying to forget about everything and everyone else, and I usually hit that glorious moment about halfway through the painting.

My art isn’t that good, anyway, and that doesn’t matter to me. Seriously.

But what I want to share is that you don’t have to have a specific goal in mind to figure out what you want to create. Instead, step back and let your subconscious do the painting. Don’t think about steps or materials or the result, and just play. Experiment and have fun. Don’t wait for the paint to dry…use a hairdryer or paper towels to create exciting patterns. Make mistakes.

This video below is a brief snapshot to illustrate better what I mean. I hope it helps provide some insight into my process.

View the final painting: “Lullaby.”

(music info)