Experimentation and Discovery

I shared some studio time with a little friend, 4 year old Adie. As she began painting and mixing paint she turned to me and said, “Look! Yellow mixed with red makes orange! I didn’t know that!” This happened several times as she discovered green, purple, pink, gray, and the most exciting discovery: brown! She continued painting switching brushes, sometimes her using her fingers, and sometimes a brush in each hand at the same time. The task continued for about 90 minutes until the canvas was covered. Of course her hands, clothes, and areas of the studio got some share of paint, but it was fun to watch.

Kids have the capacity to engage in a task without considering what people might think. Kids are not creating because they want to please someone or to show off their abilities. They create because it flows from within. They create for the fun of it. Their minds are free from prejudice. Kids are not concentrated on a future sale or market value. They just create.

Do you remember the last time you engaged in an art project just for fun? When was the last time you experimented and discovered something new for your art? Experimentation leads to discovery. Engage in experimentation as kids do. I can’t stop saying this: Renew your love for what you do. Pretend you don’t know. Pretend it is your first time and enjoy it.  Forget about production and time for a moment and just go with the flow of your creative process. Try something new. Watch a kid paint or sculpt. A kid follows imagination where it takes them. It is not about technique or perfection. They just flow with it. Expose yourself with the mind of a kid, experiment, and discover.