In The Studio with Natasha

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few."
Shunryu Suzuki

What a  joy to paint with 7 year old Natasha today! She came with her mom during the lunch-time open studio. She had no trouble picking out her easel, or deciding what colors to put on her pallet. One of the most amazing things about children and creativity is that they don't have to be told how to create, it just happens-no doubts, no wavering, no whining about not knowing what to do, they just BEGIN and creativity happens. 

Children have not yet lost the "beginner's mind", and so the possibilities for creativity are endless. We all start with this "beginner's mind", but somewhere along the way we lose it. It may be due to someone's comment about our creativity or the "killer" of comparison. We look at what we've created, compare it to someone else's work and decide we can't create because it didn't turn out like the other person's. 

One of the most satisfying  things about jumping into the  creative process is that every time, whatever you create, it is unique! Uniquely you! It doesn't need to look like someone else's work. It doesn't have to be perfectly balanced with the right perspective, shading, coloring, etc. It doesn't have to make sense it just needs to flow from within you out on to the page. 

Natasha had fun painting. I asked her what she enjoyed most about painting in the studio today and with a grin she said, "making a mess." I didn't notice much of a mess, but I did notice that she was thoroughly engaged in her painting and cleaning out her brushes and sponges, noticing the beautiful colors she was creating in her rinsing tub.  When was the last time you enjoyed yourself and just "made a mess'?

Imagine the sheer joy and freedom of stepping in front of a canvas with no agenda, no one who will make comments on your painting, brush in hand and letting your imagination and "beginners mind" take over. No need to plan what will happen, just dip the brush into the paint, put it to the canvas and see what shows up! 

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