Process Not Product


When you do these exercises stay in the moment with the materials. Try and stay out of your head and thoughts of how it should look and what you want to show.  Just let the materials flow and open new doors to creative insight. If you like put on some music, preferably instrumental. Jazz is always my favorite as it goes to unexpected places.

EXERCISE I

Buy yourself a new box of crayons.  Crayola are still the brand with the most vibrant colors. Buy the largest box you are comfortable purchasing. Take your time opening the box and appreciating the rainbow of colors. Take a blank sheet of paper.  Again, the largest that you are comfortable with.  Think of an issue you are struggling with and on which you desire greater insight. Let the colors choose you and begin to draw. Have no thought of form or reason just draw and scribble and play with the colors until you feel engaged, fully engaged and then when you are finished, you will know the time, put your drawing away for three days.  Return to it and give it thanks for the release or insight it may have facilitated, whether or not you fully recognize the impact.

EXERCISE II

Prepare  2-4 sheets of watercolor paper.  Tape all around the edges onto a flat surface or piece of foam core and experiment.  Use your brush or sponge or sock and wet the entire paper.  Mix your watercolors with a bit of water. Dip your brush into the colors and let the colors move and merge. Experiment with the colors of dawn, awakening and arising.  I encourage you to do more than one work.

A shorter, less expensive  and quite enjoyable VERSION of this exercise is to use round coffee filters and liquid watercolors or inks with eye droppers and let a rainbow of colors spread cross the papers like a rising sun.