Welcome back to Willing to Make Bad Art! It’s right up there with willing to be a mediocre person and willing to be a passable mother. And willing to have the cajones to post once every 7 years!

In an effort to engage that creative part inside that I keep trying to disown, I stumbled into this concept. Try some version of art that doesn’t matter to you AT ALL.

I have never been a visual artist. I have no natural talent. I am not a good spatial thinker and yet, YET, I painted this! How is that possible? It turns out it’s another chain store. Remember in 2015 when it was all about Color Me Mine. Ten years later, it’s a small little gem of a chain called Pinot’s Palette. To my eyes, their claim to fame is being able to teach someone like me with nary a painting class to her name how to paint this. Much to my excitement, it doesn’t take natural talent or passion or drive which are all such complicated emotions that stymie action for me. All I had to do was follow directions! This woman, Emily, has a better version of this picture in front of the class and she tells you step by step how to paint it. And I didn’t care at all if I was the best in the room full of first dates, work bonding sessions or birthdays. I just wanted to follow the directions and drink my diet coke while they played 3 minutes of different bar favorites in the background. And after two hours of that, I am stunned to report that I feel great! I made something and it had very little to do with feeling inspired, amazing or talented during the process. I got the joy from completing something without worrying what it said about me. I don’t care if people think it’s cheesy or cheating. I made a decent looking picture on a Tuesday night and I carried it out into the cool summer night and felt a little bit more comfortable with who I am in this world.

I hope this inspires you to try something you’re sure you have no talent for to find out if it might make you feel better than you did yesterday.