Can Art be High Joy and Low Skill?

Can Art be low skill and high joy? 

Most people tell me they remember Art being this way as children. Entranced by watercolors swirling together... Motivated by creamy pastels smushed into layers on white paper. The fun was in the process. Who gave a flying consideration attention to how "good" the art may or may not have been?? We were having FUN! 

And then things seem to change as we get older.

We value product more than process. The joy falls to the wayside, and in it's place we begin to ask: "Does this thing look good?"

What gives?

I've had the pleasure of teaching Art to many adults the past five years. In every class students share a similar story: Competent, confident, professional, family driven, community engaged, leaders in a variety of fields... who ceased making art years earlier because someone shamed their skill level.

They absorbed the idea that making anything (especially Art) is more about skill than joy.

AKA: If you can't make something "that looks good," why bother?

Does this resonate with you?

It sure does with me. In fact, I've learned that no matter how refined my skillsets become, there's still this little voice in my head telling me that "real art" must "look good." 

With this in mind, last September I began building a 2020 art series "Process Over Product." This series will explore the basic processes of a variety of art media (collage, drawing, printmaking, hand-lettering, painting and ceramics to name a few). 

I've hand-picked six talented artists that are masters in these mediums, but more importantly they are also incredibly fantastic teachers. They will be sharing the foundations: Techniques and processes that playful, fun and inspiring means in and of themselves. What if art-making could be more than simply "looking good?"

This is your invitation to re-learn the ways making art "feels good."


I truly believe that we can make art processes fun again, and I'm excited to share practical ways to fall back in love with your art supplies this year! 
 
If you're interested in learning more about early bird rates and registration, sign up below. 

 

(Re)-Intro to Art Processes

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