The biggest takeaway I got from this little project is that the process matters much more than the finished product or the end goal and this mindset is something that is resonating with me in other areas of life.

The act of showing up daily, in small ways to intentionally create and play has been a motivating and enjoyable experience. When I finished this mini book I really missed having the excuse and opportunity to just sit down and play with my art materials everyday. Having a structured outlet for this creative play- one mini page a day- created enough structure to be a guide but left it easy and flexible enough to produce something without too much pressure.

I discovered, through this play process, that I really enjoyed incorporating text and language into my collages. Most of my collages had some kind of text involved whether it be a background of a gel plate printed paper or a stamped focal point. It was also interesting to think of my own handwriting as a form of mark making.

Going forward I think that I will continue to create collages and messy art regularly in personal sketchbooks as a means of creative expression that don’t need to be witnessed- the process of sitting, making and playing is valuable in itself.

This act of showing up, getting stuck in to the process and not worrying about the result is a spiritual practice for me as well as an artistic one. It helps me to let go of things I can’t control and to show myself that participation in life is enough- that I don’t always have to “achieve” something or make something “productive” to be worthy of existence.

I encourage you to try out a mini challenge yourself . You might find, like I have, that playing and making nonsense art everyday makes a difference to your life in unexpected ways!