Process Over Product

Isabella DiCicco

I believe that each and every person should make art. I’ve become that slightly annoying person who tells you everyone is an artist–only because it’s true! Why has it become the standard that you have to paint Starry Night every time you pull out your acrylics? We shouldn’t be putting limits on people before they’ve even painted their first stroke, but rather encouraging them to explore the limitless possibilities that painting–and all art forms–actually offer.

Intuitive painting is a form of painting that is focused on the process, not the product. I learned about intuitive painting during my sophomore year of high school when my best friend dragged me to an art non-profit he had recently discovered. The organization was founded on the basis that art can serve as a way to cope with trauma and serve as a form of therapeutic relief. I’ll be the first to tell you that I was skeptical. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was allowed to create art for the sake of creating, and not in an attempt to become the next Picasso. Despite my hesitation, I quickly fell in love with intuitive painting, and I’m here to tell you why you should too.

As I said, intuitive painting is focused on the process of painting rather than worrying about the end result and whether it’s “good.” I was taught to prioritize things like picking a color because it sparked inspiration, or represented a specific emotion I was feeling that day. Sometimes my instructor wouldn’t allow us to paint over something we didn’t like or completely start over because she didn’t want us to become fixated on how the painting looked. In the beginning it certainly wasn’t easy to let

go of control. I would often find myself in the midst of painting, planning out my next brush stroke because I needed everything to look a certain way. When my instructor noticed anyone sitting for long periods without painting, she would tell us to put the brush to the paper and just go.

Once I removed the restraints from my mind, I felt free. I started to love the little things such as the smooth feeling of the brush gliding across the paper, and the way my mind would become completely absorbed in whatever it was I was doing. Painting became an act of self-love. I enjoyed being able to communicate my emotions in a non-verbal way because sometimes talking was difficult. Sure, some days I made paintings I was proud of, whereas other days I painted circles over and over again because the continuous motion was almost meditative–but that’s not the point. I had more appreciation for the days when I painted 20 circles because I knew afterwards that I had set myself free.

I want to leave you, the reader, with a challenge. On a day you’re feeling content and happy, pull out your paintbrush, paints, and whatever it is you want to paint on, and let your emotions direct the painting. Then on another day, when you’re feeling down in the dumps, I want you to do the exact same thing. Don’t think for too long about the colors you choose, or the shapes you paint. Just put your brush to your canvas and let your mind lead the way. Compare the two paintings afterwards and appreciate how wonderful it is that you can create two pieces of art that reflect your emotions in completely different ways.