For many of us, it happened so quietly we didn’t even notice. Maybe it was a teacher with an offhand comment. Maybe a sibling won an art contest and suddenly your drawing didn’t feel “good enough.” Maybe you tried to create something that didn’t turn out the way you pictured—and you decided right then and there, “I’m just not artistic.”
I’m here to tell you, that’s nonsense.
I believe, with every fiber of my being, that everyone is an artist. Yes—you, reading this, doubting yourself, scrolling past all those beautiful Instagram feeds thinking you could never create something so magical. I promise, you can.
How do I know? Because I’ve seen it again and again. I’ve had students walk into my workshops with arms crossed, saying, “I can’t even draw a straight line.” I love to prove them wrong. Who the hell draws straight lines anyway? Art isn’t about rigid perfection—it’s about expression, curiosity, and joy.
Here’s what I’ve learned teaching art: It’s not about talent. It’s not about skill. It’s about giving yourself permission to play again.
Think back to kindergarten. Remember the crayons? The finger paints? The pure, unfiltered joy of making marks on paper? No one was judging your work then. You weren’t comparing your tree to the kid sitting next to you. You were making art for the sheer joy of it. Art for you.
Somewhere along the way, the joy got tangled up with self-doubt. Maybe life got busy. Maybe someone criticized your creativity. But here’s the truth: That creative spark never left you. It’s still there, waiting to be reignited.
In this space, I want to help you do exactly that. I’ll share stories, tools, techniques, and a good dose of encouragement. We’ll talk about how to make art with what you have, how to shake off perfectionism, and how to rediscover the playful, curious artist inside you.
Because you are an artist. You always have been. And it’s time to start believing it again.
Today’s Creation
I’ve been working a lot with watercolor lately and using what I have on hand. That includes basic watercolor paper from my local craft store. Well, I decided to see if a different type of paper (read: more expensive paper) would make a difference. And let me tell you. It totally did. Wowza!
Look at how clean those washes are! This is just the beginning of this piece. I will be adding stitching and probably a big tree in the near future. Stay tuned.
