• Home
  • About
  • Artist CV
  • Paintings
    • Between Heaven & Earth
    • Proximity (Works on paper)
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
  • Artist CV
  • Paintings
    • Between Heaven & Earth
    • Proximity (Works on paper)
  • Blog
  • Contact

Becoming more of who you are

  • August 22, 2020/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Abstraction, acrylics, art, Art therapy, Creative Coaching, intuitive, Painting, susan knaap, Tips & Tricks

A Way Through, Acrylics on Canvas, 30 x 40 inches

Some of you might be aware of the fact that, for several years, I lost my painting mojo. I fought valiantly to hang on to it, but it slipped quietly and slowly away over a number of years. I moved on to other things and assumed I’d never paint again. The funny thing is though, when I truly let it go, the desire to paint crept back again.

When I finally felt ready to pick up the paint brushes again, I promised myself that I would stop trying to be a ‘serious artist’ and simply allow for the freedom of creative play. And, that’s exactly what I did, working mostly on paper and in journals. It was just the remedy I needed.

A year or so later, I started feeling the itch to go bigger with my work so I hauled out some of my stored canvases and set out to paint. I did a few paintings, but something just didn’t feel right with them, though I couldn’t put my finger on whatever the problem was. What I didn’t understand until much later, was that during the years I’d given up painting I’d lost my confidence – both personally and creatively. Consequently, it felt safer to paint small. And, though I was now working on larger canvases, I still worked on them as though they were small, painting small shapes and using small brushes and tools.

It wasn’t until I signed up for the Art2Life Creative Visionary Program, that I clicked as to what was going on. Nicholas Wilton, the founder of Art2Life, suggested that when scaling up to a larger format artists need to essentially ‘scale up’ to match it, not only in terms of the tools they used, but their personal consciousness as well. In other words, to paint big we need to feel ‘big’. It was an intriguing idea and intuitively it felt right.

Now, expanding one’s sense of self is not an easy task. Especially for those of us who were made, intentionally or otherwise, to feel ‘small’ as we were growing up. If truth be told, I’ve always felt ‘small’, which might seem rather odd considering I’m a strapping 5’10”! Don’t get me wrong, I go about my life quite normally, but deep down there’s a default safety button that cautions me against being too visible.

That said, since taking the Art2Life course, I’ve been intentionally working on embodying fuller consciousness, at least in front of the canvas. Essentially, I’m faking it until I make it. Only time will tell whether the courage to show up more fully becomes second nature, or whether I’ll always need to take a deep breath and plunge in regardless of how ‘small’ I might be feeling. Of one thing I’m certain – becoming more of who you are has got to be a worthy aim and if you can achieve it in one area of your life, there’s a much better chance to achieve it in others.

“The greatest act of courage is to be and to own all of who you are — without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth of who you are.”
Debbie Ford

That tricky old creative journey

  • October 20, 2019/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 2 comments /
  • Under : Abstraction, acrylics, Acrylics, art, Art therapy, artist, Creative Coaching, intuitive, knaap, Mixed Media, Painting, susan knaap, Tips & Tricks

Onwards & Upwards, Mixed Media, 30 x 30 inches, stretched canvas

Sometimes I just wish I could get to where I want to be… that promised land where I feel like I’ve ‘arrived’ as an artist. It’s easy to be persuaded that it’s just a painting away, another teacher away, another technique away. But the truth is that the creative journey isn’t some straight forward ascent to a final destination. It’s a series of steps, missteps, circles, cycles, disasters and successes. I can leave the studio feeling like I’ve cracked it one day, only to go back in the next morning and think, ‘What the hell?’.

Read More


The gift of rewinding your art process

  • April 23, 2019/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 2 comments /
  • Under : Abstraction, Acrylics, Creative Coaching, Intuitive, Journal, Mixed Media, Painting, susan knaap, Tips & Tricks

I tell you this much for free… Videoing yourself making a painting arms you with insight about your process like nothing else!

Read More


Don’t forget to play!

  • January 9, 2018/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 2 comments /
  • Under : Abstraction, Acrylics, Creative Coaching, Intuitive, Mixed Media, Painting, Tips & Tricks

I have to admit to something here and now. Right through my art study, I pretty much just focused on producing ‘finished’ paintings. I don’t know how many times my poor tutors would implore me to put in some actual practice, but would I listen? Ah, no.
Read More


Restricting your colour palette

  • November 23, 2017/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Abstraction, Acrylics, Creative Coaching, Painting, Tips & Tricks

Colour (with apologies to US readers who spell colour sans the ‘u’) is something that, as painters we all love and, for many of us, it’s the driving force behind what we do. But, as glorious as colour is, it can also provide the most challenge, particularly for those just starting out.

Read More


‘Stepping back’, and ‘sitting with’ your art work

  • October 3, 2017/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 1 comments /
  • Under : Creative Coaching, Painting, Tips & Tricks

An often overlooked, though really beneficial, aspect of the creative process is to look…. really LOOK at your work while you’re making it.

Read More


Having the courage to make your mark

  • July 22, 2017/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Abstraction, Creative Coaching, Oils, Painting, Tips & Tricks

Knaap, SusanOils on stretched canvas, 40 x 40 inches

I was recently reading the new book out (‘Clear Seeing Place’) by one of my favourite artists – Brian Rutenberg – and read with interest his thoughts on a common mistake made by inexperienced artists – that of putting down a brushstroke (or mark) and then proceeding to kill it stone dead.

Read More


The never-ending painting… and letting go

  • November 25, 2016/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Acrylics, Creative Coaching, Painting, Tips & Tricks

the-never-ending-painting-1

Let me tell you about the ‘never-ending painting’.

Read More


My little (imperfect) studio

  • October 16, 2016/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 2 comments /
  • Under : Painting, Tips & Tricks

my-studio-oct-2016_site

It may not have all the bells and whistles, nor even some basic amenities (like a sink), but it’s my studio.

Read More


The (surprising) thing about drawing…

  • October 9, 2016/
  • Posted By : Susan/
  • 0 comments /
  • Under : Drawing, Tips & Tricks

Recently, I participated in a four week online e-course taught by Pauline Agnew called Pathways to Abstraction. I took it, not because I wanted to learn abstraction per se (having already worked abstractly for some years), but to kick-start me back into my painting.

Read More


12
Susan

Susan

Hi there! Welcome to my art website and blog – I hope you enjoy your visit! Got any burning questions, want some advice, or simply want to say ‘hi’? Then hop on over to the Contact Page and send me a message!

View Full Profile →

Yes please! Sign me up for post updates & occasional emails.

Recent Posts
  • Becoming more of who you are
  • Beginner’s Mind
  • That tricky old creative journey
  • Do you call yourself an artist?
  • The gift of rewinding your art process
ABSTRACT ARTIST
Copyright Susan Knaap 2022. All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy