ALL THE FEELS

WRITTEN BY LLEWELLYN SKYE

The Arts | EGW Global Magazine 

Painting intuitively comes from raw emotion and vulnerability, guided by intuition and instinct. It can be beautiful and liberating, but is this way of painting all about fuzzy feelings or could it be rock'n roll?

 When I paint flowers in my studio, it's not about painting pretty pictures. It's about turning up, connecting with my innermost self and allowing all my emotions to spill onto the canvas. It's about creating something profound and meaningful to me at that moment; it's so much more than just painting flowers.

 It's like having a "soul dump" every time I turn up to the studio - and when I say 'turn up,' I mean in the most fearless unforgiving way. It's standing naked (figuratively, otherwise, totally awkward) in front of your canvas without inhibitions, judgment, or expectations. It's not for the faint-hearted - everything is on the line.

 It's about experimenting, making mistakes, and owning it all. Trusting yourself to drop the paintbrush, walk away and say, "it's done". Simply put, it's making art without overthinking the creative process or giving a f*ck about what other people think or say.

 This groundbreaking freedom is possible because of mid-century abstract expressionists such as Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, and Cy Twombly - to name a few. Their fearless approach to painting was all about risk, emotion and feeling. Going against the grain, their work was bold, brash and unapologetic. They didn't give a shit about pretty or conventional; their works shocked the world and continually inspire contemporary art today.

 Intuitive painting allows for greater freedom and experimentation, improved intuition and emotional connection, and positively impacts mental health. It enables us to access our deepest emotions and thoughts and create meaningful and authentic art. Although it presents challenges such as overcoming control and perfectionism, if you learn to trust yourself, take risks and embrace vulnerability, the transformative experience of intuitive painting will be well worth the journey and yesss, that is totally rock'n roll.