''Put the paintbrush in your heart''s hand''

Henriette Lamprecht – You won''t be learning techniques, styles or traditional art theory here. So, when there is no specific “destination” to head towards or worry about your (lack of!) artistic skills, you can just let go of your expectations of what art should be.
This, in a nutshell, is intuitive painting (IP), where you allow yourself to follow your own personal rhythm and voice, and be guided through a series of playful activities with different media like pastels, watercolours and acrylics.
The well-known Namibian artist, Silke Behrens’ passion is to develop expressive arts, including painting, music and movement therapy. With experience in several methods including Butoh and Art Therapy, and her current Psychology studies, Silke says IP is about the “mindfulness that comes with spontaneous art play in a safe, supportive space”.
She says the focus is on the process rather than an aesthetically pleasing end-product and typically involves spontaneous, playful experimentation and / or expression using art material. And, perhaps best of all, it does not involve learning traditional art skills and theory!
You don’t need to be an artist or creative to do this, she says.
“IP is based on the assumption that creativitiy is an innate human characteristic. It is only because we have assigned the label ‘creative’ – a very narrow definition that the myth of ''special'' or ''unique'' creative individuals, aka artists – perpetuates.”
According to Silke, creativity happens in your attitude and approach towards all and any actions, and can be characterised by the ability to perceive the world in new ways; to find hidden patterns; to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena; and to generate solutions.
She adds that recent research shows that creativity is a skill that can be (re)learned. “We were all creative as children. In actual fact we were creativity specialists before we learned to walk or talk, therefore you never have to learn about your creativity from scratch. Being creative is pretty much like learning how to ride a bike – you never forget how. But you do have to re-engage the muscles.”
She explains that society and, in particular, education and the workplace, leaves little room or opportunities for originality – so much so that most people forget they were ever creative at all.
Once you have been taught or are proficient in a particular approach, a certain outcome is expected. Any outcome that contradicts this expectation seems “wrong” and therefore unacceptable.
“Especially in visual arts, so many of us were discouraged or criticised early on for ‘getting it wrong’, i.e. ‘that’s not how you draw a tree/horse/person’. These experiences contribute towards the belief that not everyone is ‘blessed’ with creativity.”
The appeal of IP is that, regardless of your intention, once the pressure of achieving something specific is removed, intuitive and spontaneous expression can happen. At times such expression may yield insights, meanings, or just the contemplative bliss of being in the moment and connected with yourself.
A lot of research has been done on the positive effects of making art, which includes a host of physical, emotional, and psychological benefits.
“In my experience, learning to trust yourself and the process, and exercising this confidence, starting from a few simple marks on a page, is one of the most profound processes in personal growth. Even if your intention is just to have fun or to mess around with paint, the creative practice will constantly expand your understanding of self and others,” Silke says.
Of course you can paint or experiment with material on your own, but many people prefer the social and supportive space of a group setting.
“Often, committing to doing something for yourself on a regular basis is not easy. This is where attending a structured class at a set time can really help.”
An added bonus is that it may be easier to quieten the pesky internal voice of disapproval and judgment.
“This can really make the difference between fighting a losing battle with your beliefs and judgements, and the potential to experience one of heightened consciousness, namely ecstacy’ – to quote Rollo May, author of The Courage to Create.”
To conclude, Silke says: “Trust yourself. Let your hand guide the brush, not your brain. Making art is always a sensuous experience; dance and paint to music; draw in extreme slow-motion; connect with the joy that uncensored expression offers . . . and don’t take it all, including yourself, too seriously!”
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