The Imperfectionist Manifesto No. 3

Having Fun Is the Easy part.

There is no room for fear and perfection when creating!

They only get in the way of Something Great!

Learn more about Living a Creative Life on
Melissa Dinwiddie's website HERE.

Follow me on InstaGram: Denise_Riches

2015 The Documented Life Project

Front Cover

Excited and Motivated to start the New Year again with The Documented Life Project 2015 from Art to the 5th (check it out here). These are the front and back covers of one of the two journals i created and they were so fun to paint. The second journal will make sure I have enough room for my lengthy journal entries. Journaling has become a daily habit over the last year thanks to this project and I look forward to it each day. I love, love, love this cover. Urban graffiti feel and the image transfers make me so happy.

Back Cover

I'll admit I was a little stuck (fearful) on what to paint as the top layer because I was so attached to the previous layers and didn't want to ruin (risk) it. I thumbed thru my Inspiration Journal that i keep with clippings of images that catch my attention, other artists work, sketches of painting ideas and my own doodles and symbols. The top layer of images came directly from that journal. Its a valuable tool to spark creativity and I'm more inspired than ever to continue adding to it.

 Below is my journal from last year which has become a bit tattered and worn, but I thoroughly enjoy re-visiting the artwork I created, the quotes I recorded, and the memories I made (good and bad) as part of this Journey called LIFE! 

2014 The Documented Life Project Journal

Follow me on Instagram: denise_riches

Work In Progress



Here's the progression of my final assignment for Wyanne's Paint Free Class (named #8 in my 50 Painting Practice Series). I was starting to become way too attached to this concept and became afraid to do anything for fear I would ruin it. So I just stood there, staring at it, not knowing what to do next. I knew it wasn't finished and thought it was looking a little boring. I want my paintings to be interesting, and this just isn't.

So I got brave and just started making marks.

Again, I stood there gazing and staring, baffled at what to do next. I spent more time just standing there than painting.  I decided to just do something, whether it's right or wrong. So I took away the abstractness (which I love) and made it cute (which I'm not so fond of)! Unsure if I ruined it, decided to put it away and come back another day when I'm less judgemental about it and see the possibilities.

So I moved on to #4. The first layer of this collage was a piece I started last spring in Paul Gardner's Mixed Media Workshop. Didn't really like it (big surprise huh?) and it just sat there waiting for me to be brave and just do something with it. So a few weeks ago I painted some designs over the first layer. Being my critical self, didn't like it, so there it sat a while longer.



 So I messed around with it a little more.

Added some statements.

Then added some really watered down paint with drips and swirls to the top. This is on watercolor paper that doesn't lay very flat anymore because of all the collage materials in it, so the watery paint pooled in certain areas where it looks muddy. The brighter circles are where I applied masking fluid and have now removed it. So there's my under painting.

Yesterday I started to play with it adding some trees, flowery pods and color. I'd like it to have a landscapey feeling, but not in the traditional sense. I want it to be more fun and interesting and not really make sense. That's hard for the left brain person I truly am!

I Want To Be Great, But I Can't Get Started!!!

"You don't have to be great to get started,
but you have to get started to be great."

~ Les Brown

Today I'm having trouble getting started. I have what I need to paint...time, a clean work surface, quiet and no distractions. My environment and my heart say "Yes" please paint, but my brain says "NO!" My computer isn't cooperating and I don't feel like cleaning-up the Christmas decorating disaster that has taken over the house and I don't work until 1:00. So what's keeping me from painting?????

FEAR? Yes, it's got to be fear! Fear of frustration, fear of not being able to let go and just paint, just play, just enjoy the process. I'm reading "Trust the Process: An Artist's Guide to Letting Go" by Shaun McNiff. Everything he talks about makes sense and while I've been reading I've been really excited about trying some of the exercises. The only thing is...while I've been reading the book, I haven't painted once. Nope...not one single time. I'm all about getting ready to do NOTHING! I'm always so worried about the end product or making a mistake that I freeze up and can't think of anything to paint. If I approach the painting with no expectations, how can I mess it up...right? Why can't I just LOOSEN UP? My gosh...is it that hard? Why can't I just paint 50 paintings of nothing and not care? I'm not getting ANYTHING done anyway...what harm could it do? I'm kinda getting frustrated with myself...can you tell? Anyhow, I'm just in that kind of mood today...do you ever get that way? Please say "YES."

New Practice Works on Paper

After re-reading Kelly Rae's Book I decided to turn my fears into affirmations. Behind each stem is a positive phrase which started out as a fear. I took the fear out and put the possibility in. This piece was also to practice some techniques I learned in Paulette Insall's e-course "Color Me Beautiful."

This is another practice piece from Paulette's e-course. After dripping and scraping paint across the paper I tried to find a hidden subject come through in the paint. I saw the heart-shape and created a weird looking tree around it. I really enjoy seeing the layers of paint come through and the way the intersecting lines create shapes and color changes.

Another practice piece (12" x 12" on watercolor paper) called "Serenity." Loving the technique of painting around an object instead of filling it in. Love the way the interesting background shows through and again how the intersecting lines create great color changing opportunities. I'm trying to move my work more in this direction rather than traditional landscapes where I try to paint exactly what I see. That just frustrates me and I'm finding it boring! This is sooooo much more fun!

Courage To Begin "The Journey"

…there is no better way to develop skills than through trial and error. It is a matter of having the courage, in every painting, to try something new and to work without fear of making mistakes. Results are invariably more effective and ideas tend to evolve with far greater energy and impact when the painting process is positive and uninhibited. The ability to work with confidence and skill relies on experience, and this in turn comes from a willingness to experiment and learn from the consequent successes and failures.  – Artist, Claire Harrigan

While reading Clair Harrigan's book "Abstract and Color Techniques in Painting" the above passage really spoke to me and about me. I'm so concerned with making a mistake that I hardly get anything done. I tell myself that a canvas with anything but a perfect painting is wasted. I fear ruining something I worked really hard to achieve by adding the wrong color. I'm so afraid of screwing up that I can't paint freely. I know art journaling helps the creative process and helps develop skills, but I think I hide in my journal because it doesn't matter what I create...it's just a journal right?

I will:  

• have the courage to develop my skill through trial and error ON THE CANVAS
• work without fear of making mistakes and try something new
• think positive and work with confidence
• think of failure as a stepping stone to success
• put in the brush time to gain the skill to accomplish my goals
• JUST DO IT!