Imperfectly Perfect - An Expressive Arts Project

By Lolly Forsythe-Chisolm

“We experiment with visual means to express what we most want to communicate.  We try things out and see what quickens our pulse, what fully engages us.  Our exploration and self-awareness grow over time - through drawing, through our life journey, and through seeing what matters to us.  What moves us.”   The Confident Creative by Cat Bennett.  (An amazing little book, a quick summer read for inspiration and big Questions.)  By the way, Big Q questions are the ones that give you pause. 

The idea for this expressive art project came from a failure.  I was using spray inks to spray a flower stencil that I had made.  The ink spread and blurred out from under the stencil and the colors blended in a drippy mess.  Or so I thought.  “Humph” I thought and I walked away… it dried and I thought “wait, what if…”

And I doodled and played with the mess:

​And then I realized that “hope” can spread and seep into all parts of our lives and now I love this imperfectly perfect flower with its message of light.

Materials

• ​​Magic markers (Crayola markers are not permanent so they will splatter well)
• Card stock paper
• Circle templates (lids) to create a circle shape
• Scissors
• A permanent black pen and or a white gel pen to use for doodling and word-writing over your “messy mess.”

Project

1. Use simple magic markers and draw lines and or shapes all over an 8X11 piece of paper. 
2. Then sprinkle water all over your design.  Say “Humph” Walk away and let it dry. 
3. Come back and cut out shapes – circles – squares – you decide.  See example. 
4. Then doodle over the “mess.”  Words, flowers abstract designs – you decide.  (I love whimsical fonts and swirly words.) 

See examples:

Benefit

​Using our own discernment, we can assess, build and fold.   We can assess what we are doing, build on what is working and fold failure into lesson (or a mess into a flower of hope).  

Big Questions

​Questions for thought or expressive writing.  Are we willing to get out of habitual patterns to explore what might be possible? Are we willing to make mistakes? Can we take chances? What will we explore?

Ideas for Use

​Create a garland out of your circles or shapes and decorate your space.  Glue one or two of your shapes together and create a card for a friend/family member.  As a bonus, just tape your circle onto the card and tell the recipient to take the shape off of the card and place it in a special spot.  Anonymously give a “messy” art circle to a friend or unsuspecting hard worker with a message of your choosing…   

Have fun and let me know other ideas!!

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About the Artist:  Lolly Forsythe-Chisolm

Lolly Forsythe-Chisolm is a Mind/Body Specialist for the Inpatient Integrative Medicine team.  Email her at lforsythe@umm.edu with any questions and/or with special ways you are using this activity and how it has influenced your days.  She'd also like to hear your ideas and how healing arts have helped you!

Special thanks to: Dina Wakley, art teacher extraordinaire, and Joanne Sharpe, whimsical writing art teacher (find them both in print and online.)