Why does the word "work" show up so much when we're talking about art?

"This is my work." "I need to work on improving my art." "Here is my past work and this is my current work" "Work" "wOkr" "Worketty" "worK" "Work!"

In contrast to that, I love how the music industry uses the word PLAY. It shows up much more often. "I'm playing the piano." "I need to keep playing to improve my sound" "Let's play some music. "PlAy! "PlaYYY" "pLaYYyy!"

I want to bring that energy into making ART! "I am playing with paint today." "I am playing with different compositions." "I love to play with my oil pastels." "Oo0ooUuuu I want to make something new today, Let's play!"

So why am I saying this? Why should we think of art as play?

Because play is so important for feeling joy, feeling free. It is something we remember doing fondly when we were kids and only do as adults when we are convinced by a cute adorable happy puppy! (you can also substitute the puppy with a human child or another adorable baby animal you like to play with if that floats ur boat).

We are told we need to stop playing as "adults." Even the phrase "you are acting like a child (said with angry eyes and a frowning face)" is filled with shame.

Have you used this phase or have had it used against you to condemn your joyful childlike actions? I've sure been in both positions. New me cringes at past me for doing it because it took Joy away from those I said it to. (Self-love side note: new me still loves past me because she helped me become who I am today). ..Oh and I'm totally on board with changing the connotation and emotion of that phrase so that it supports joy. For example: "You are acting like a child! (said with twinkling eyes and a smile)". We need to do this. LET's aLLL act like children LOL! (I do it all the time because it makes me hApPy!)

Ok, let's get back on track... where were we?.. Oh yeah, ART AND PLAY!

Play is actually GOOD, not bad. When making art, it helps us be more open to possibilities, it lets us EXPLORE. when we explore, we allow ourselves room for mistakes. I know some mistakes are hard to face, it doesn’t always feel good to make them, but when we are open to them, welcome them, they help us grow and evolve. AND, some mistakes are HAPPY LITTLE ACCIDENTS. And, we can fall in love with the HAPPY LITTLE ACCIDENTS so much that we recreate them on purpose in the future (that is my AbsOlUte FAVORITE part of making mistakes).

What I'm really trying to say is: When you approach making ART as play, it lowers the subliminal or subconscious barriers and rules we learned from others about, "What is good" "what is correct". We can let those rules go so that we can create more authentically with more joy.

P.S. I love asking questions, so I will leave these here:

What if we change our mindset around what Art is and can be? What if we start playing? Will you have less self-doubt and insecurities around what you make? Will you finally decide you are worthy of picking up that paintbrush? Will there be more artists making wonderful and unique creations for themselves and others? More people following their passion AND proud of what they accomplished regardless of external opinion?

Will you play?

- Kelli :)