Purposeful Play

​When I am feeling a little stuck, stale, or just want to shake things up a bit in my studio practice I have been turning to a wonderfully freeing painting exercise.

​The purpose is to paint without expectations for the outcome, and in so doing removing any perceived pressure to create a “good” work of art. Which usually results in something fresh and exciting!

​In a painting, what counts is the unexpected. 
~Georges Braque~ 

​I selected three paint colors plus black and white as well as two or three favorite painting tools and taped off a piece of paper into smaller sections. I paint as if the tape is not there, making one cohesive composition. 

​My colors for this project were magenta, phthalo blue, and yellow ochre, along with black and white. I used a large flat brush and my trusty catalyst wedge to move the paint around. There’s no need to get too fussy, it’s all about playing freely. 

It’s so delightful when I finally remove the tape to discover my mini paintings, like small jewels with all that vibrant color and delicious texture!

So now, what does one do with stacks of mini paintings? They actually offer loads of fun possibilities. They make great cards just as they are. And I have discovered their potential for surface design. I had one made into my own personalized cell phone case. These mini paintings can be printed much larger for fine art prints or as designs on pillows, towels, or tote bags.

Clicking on the images above will take you to the product descriptions.
​Or you can check out all the mini paintings I have available for
​prints and surface designs in my
​Fine Art America shop.

​If you’d like to follow along with my studio practice you can find me on Instagram.
*All images and content in this article is ©Ann Thompson Nemcosky.
Please do not reproduce in any way. Thank you. * ​