The Power of Mistakes

"To make no mistakes is not the power of man, but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future." - Plutarch

Children wake up everyday ready to dive into life at full throttle. Making mistakes is never forefront in their innocent, open minds. Jumping, running, laughing, playing and enjoying life are all definitely on their minds. Check out their artwork - BOLD, free and uninhibited! 

Allowing yourself the freedom to make mistakes opens up a whole new world of what you can create. Random mistakes usually happen while working on a specific piece of art. We all experience the "OOPS!" mistakes. Other ways to allow for new and bold mistakes can come through experimentation. Technique, color and what I call "sprinkling" experiments are fun, educational and sometimes give you very unique results that are amazing!

Technique mistakes can happen by pushing and pulling the paint differently, using a variety of painting knives and/or trying much larger or smaller brushes. Color mistakes will come about with the use of new colors and color combinations. What I call "sprinkling" means using paint, metallic paints, sand, pebbles, rubbing alcohol, tiny paper wads . . . whatever you can think of to sprinkle onto the art piece. Moving quickly keeps your attention and makes it more fun and exciting!!

Embrace mistakes! They are "learning leaps" that teach you how to express yourself with free flowing paint! Now, let us go forth and make active, colorful and unique mistakes!

Splash and Dash!

"Splash and Dash" 24"x30" acrylic on canvas

Splash: To strike and dash about.

Under paintings can change the look and feel of an entire painting. The choices for under paintings are infinite. Many artists use a solid color to create the "first layer" of  their paintings. Another style that can be used as the first layer is what I call the "splash and dash."

Some of the most fun to be had as a painter is letting loose and splashing around with paint. Get wild with it! Splash that paint - then dash! Keep moving. Sometimes an under painting becomes a finished piece. If it looks exciting and finished, then stop and start on another.

The first layer of color(s) the painting surface is made up of can peep through the finished piece, giving it a more dimensional look. Often viewers are not aware of all the color and layers the eye is actually picking up. They just know they "like it." That is because color and combinations of colors have the ability to set a mood or moods. We have all seen the dark "doom and gloom" art as opposed to the bright "happy and uplifting" art. It is all wonderful art, but is clearly expressing a mood with the colors used.

Sooo . . . Go wild! Splash it up! Dash, dart and allow yourself to have fun!

Why Make Art?

"Captiva" painted by Cindy Mott McGarry
24x36" oil on canvas - Sold
Giclee prints available on My Website!

"Creativity is intelligence having fun." - Albert Einstein

The life of an artist is full of experimentation and discovery. Keeping a constant newness to one's art is exhilarating and wonderfully challenging. Art evolves and changes. There is a uniqueness to each piece. People make art because it is fun and necessary. Even cave people had an innate desire and drive to create!

So many people are artists and don't even know it. Chefs, seamstresses, engineers, financial planners, CEOs, entrepreneurs etc., all work to make and build something they think about in their minds. The creative process is very important in producing just about everything you see and do throughout the course of a day. Just about anything people do can be considered a work of art.

The health benefits of making art are now much more widely known and understood than ever before. Making art provides us with the ability to heal emotional wounds, expand one's understanding of self and others, elevate moods, improve depression symptoms, have an obvious effect on important physiological criterion, boosts self esteem etc., etc.! Making and sharing art can help everyone be happier and healthier.

Have FUN! Stretch your intelligence! Make art - paint, plan, cook, write ... and DANCE!  

Intentions Set Your Course

"The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen." - Lee Iacocca

 If you are an artist (or anyone wishing to achieve a goal), then writing down your intention first will not only help you set your course, but will also help you stay on course to reach your goal. Living in the present, one intention at a time, will soon allow you to look back at many accomplishments.

This simple step only takes a few brainstorming minutes. It can be a fun daily ritual! It will set you back on track if you get distracted during your creative process. It can also initiate a mind/body connection - the thought is written, which then puts the body in motion to accomplish the thought! 

How to:  

1) Let your spirit shine! Open up your mind. Be as a child. Relax and piece together mentally what you want to see accomplished.

2) Keep the intention simple. Know that the details needed to achieve the accomplished goal will come to you after your intention is set. 

3) A spiral-bound notebook is a great place to write an intention before beginning to paint. A brief description is all that is needed. Such as "a loose, colorful seascape."

Now ... GO PLAY!