When Creativity Had No Rules

Yesterday, I spent the day painting in the studio with my goddaughter.

There was no plan.
No outcome in mind.
No concern about whether it looked “good” or made sense.

She painted with her whole body — bare feet in colour, paint on her hands, laughter spilling out as fast as the mess beneath her. She followed instinct, not instruction. If something felt right, she did it. If it didn’t, she moved on without hesitation.

Watching her stopped me in my tracks.

Because that — that exact feeling — is how I feel when I paint.

It reminded me of what I rediscovered when I returned to art as an adult. Not technique. Not style. But freedom. The unrestrained joy of creating without judgement. Of trusting your hands. Of letting curiosity lead instead of your inner critic.

Somewhere along the way, many of us learn to edit ourselves.
To ask if something is “worth it” before we’ve even started.
To fear getting it wrong — or worse, being seen getting it wrong.

Children don’t do that.

They create because it feels good. Because it’s playful. Because it’s an expression, not a performance.

That’s the space I paint from. And it’s the space I care deeply about creating for others.

My creative experiences aren’t about producing something perfect. They’re about offering a moment — away from noise, pressure and expectation — where you can reconnect with that part of yourself that knows how to play, explore and just be.

You don’t need to be “creative”. You don’t need experience. You don’t need a finished piece to take home.

What you leave with is something quieter and more powerful: a softened nervous system, a clearer head, and the reminder that creativity was never something you lost — it was just waiting patiently for you to return.

If this resonates, you can explore my upcoming creative experiences here. They’re designed as gentle, nourishing spaces to reconnect — with creativity, with yourself, and with the joy of making without rules.

Gem

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