I did it! After a year and a half of staring at a blank canvas, I finally made my first mark!
Originally, I planned to set up in the garage, but with this scorching summer, the living room became my new studio. And guess what? It turned out to be the perfect, cool, space for my creative flow.
Also, exciting news—my first mini-canvas from a collaborator arrived! The fabulous Lindsey Dineen sent me a darling painting titled “Women: Ready for Anything.” It’s a silhouette of a woman with a jewel, capturing the essence of strength, capability, and resilience. I absolutely love it!
Back to that first mark. It was both nerve-wracking and exhilarating! I chose blues for my initial palette, inspired by water’s calming yet powerful nature.
Using my hands and body as brushes, I let the paint take on a life of its own across the canvas.
As I worked, I thought of Joan Mitchell, an abstract painter I deeply admire.
Mitchell, a key figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement, saw the first mark on a canvas as a moment of profound commitment. It wasn’t just a physical action but an emotional and psychological leap into new creative territory.
Mitchell believed that making the first mark was about embracing uncertainty and allowing the work to evolve naturally. She said,
“I paint from remembered landscapes that I carry with me—and remembered feelings of them, which of course become transformed.”
[1] This transformation begins with that daring first stroke, setting the tone for the entire piece.
Mitchell’s emphasis on the significance of the first mark underscores the immediacy and rawness that characterized much of Abstract Expressionist art, one that I practice with my body prints.
So here I am, the first mark is made, and my new series has officially begun. I’m thrilled to see how it evolves, especially with more collaborative works coming in.
What about you? What was your most memorable ‘first mark’ moment in a creative project, and how did it shape the journey that followed? Share your stories—I’d love to hear them!
[1] https://www.joanmitchellfoundation.org/joan-mitchell/biography