Nourish the Artist Within
As an artist, mother and creative entrepreneur, Jenna Rainey knows how life can get in the way of art-making. She also has plenty of ideas for how to push past roadblocks to let your creativity thrive.
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Making Magic with Watercolor
“Watercolor is magical! I love the fluidity of the medium and how it moves on paper,” Jenna says. “You really don’t have to do anything extravagant in terms of subject matter to become totally mesmerized by the way it blooms and flows. Quality materials make all the difference, which is why I love working with MaimeriBlu Watercolor pigments, Saunders Waterford paper (my preference is the cold-pressed), and Princeton Heritage 4050 and Velvetouch brushes.”
Breaking Down Creative Roadblocks
The biggest roadblock to creative success that Jenna Rainey sees has to do with mindset. “Creativity is an act of expression, and expressing yourself takes courage,” she says. “We get in our own way 99% of the time. I see students struggle with perfectionism and fear of failure, or just being overly critical of their art. Every artist struggles with these intrusive thoughts at times, which causes a fear of starting and also limits artistic growth because you get stuck in what you’re comfortable doing.” Here are some of the artist’s recommendations for breaking down these barriers and nourishing the artist within.
1
Find Your Flow. Try an automatic writing exercise Jenna calls flow writing. “It’s a simple practice that works even if you’re not a huge fan of journaling, she says. “It’s just a matter of writing for as little as a few minutes and letting the words flow out of you. With no judgment. The process of writing helps develop and strengthen those parts of the brain that are similar to the ‘flow state’ when we’re painting or creating.” Jenna often writes about how she’s feeling in that moment or about something that’s inspiring her. “I usually end up with some fun ideas for what to paint next,” she says.
2
Make Space for Art to Happen. “We create our best work when we become deeply involved in the task at hand,” says Jenna. “If you’re excited to paint but are constrained by an environment of clutter (mental and physical), this becomes a distraction. To remove barriers that might trigger excuses, like ‘I don’t have the time to create,’ and other critical mind interruptions, you should always have a clean workspace that’s ready to welcome you whenever inspiration strikes!”
3
Bring on the Good Vibes. Sometimes you might feel like your creative efforts are still coming up short. “When that happens, I like to go for walks and get out into nature,” Jenna says. “Or, I might just put on a really good playlist.” Here’s one she recommends to help drop into flow state: https://spoti.fi/3GDjsxw
4
Keep it Fun! “Any time you sense resistance, that’s your mind’s effort to restrict flow,” says Jenna. “Do some doodling or try playing with watercolor. Having time dedicated to play and not always being so serious with your practice is incredibly important for growth.”
Jenna’s Favorites
Find Jenna’s favorite watercolor supplies at DICKBLICK.COM
Maimeri Watercolor Paints
Jenna Rainey Colors
Princeton Heritage Series 4050 Synthetic Sable Brushes
Saunders Waterford Watercolor Blocks
Meet the Artist
Jenna Rainey is an artist and self-taught designer who has made it a mission to help others find their creative voice. The watercolor enthusiast has authored two books on the medium: Everyday Watercolor and Everyday Watercolor Flowers. If you want to go deeper on the topic of flow state and find ways to create your best work, and more, check out her online course, “The Art Within” at jennarainey.com/courses. You can also connect with the artist on Instagram @jennarainey, on YouTube @JennaRaineyChannel and at @jennamrainey on TikTok.
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