What do you think art means?

Glamorous cases of arranged colors, picture-perfect paint palettes, and trimmed paintbrushes?

Wrong.

Art is more than meets the eye. Fresh, stark white canvases are just the beginning of something new. And to begin that something, you need to learn to embrace the mess.

Every new artist is wary of even a splatter of paint on a pencil.

A twisted bristle of a brush.

A broken pencil tip.

To tell you the truth? Art is all about the splatters, the twists, and the broken pieces. Those unique parts are what define art, not expensive, bright-looking equipment. Everyone looks at a masterpiece and thinks, “Wow, I need to buy those exact color pencils. They’ll make my work shine just like this one!”

What we don’t think, is “The artist was behind this, not the brand of the pencils.”

Equipment doesn’t define your creations. You do. And if you put all your heart into it, you can create a Mona Lisa with a box of old, chipped watercolors. It isn’t the work of the pen, but the work of who’s holding it.

Something that I’ve seen in every artist today, is the mistake anxiety. Every swish of the brush is fearful and controlled. Every mark of an oil pastel is done while holding our breath.

The question I ask, is why? 

Why do we still fear mistakes?

Why do we try to erase them once they reach the page?

Why don’t we try to look at mistakes from another perspective?

As something that adds to the raw style of the artwork. Something that adds a bold message that you aren’t afraid. Something that shows that as an artist, you adapt, without letting panic show its true colors.

An accidental mark can turn into a hidden figure.

A blank white spot can turn into a highlight.

A dark color streak can turn into a rainbow.

Only once you learn to let go of measured control and embrace unfiltered chaos, is when your true message shines through.

Have any of you seen abstract art and wondered, “Is this really even art, or a few squares and colors?”

The answer is yes. It is art, through the eyes of a creative artist.

Abstract art welcomes you to stop searching for a copy of the world around you and take time to notice the subtle hints of color, the rough textures, and the emotions hiding behind the paint.

A simple, blue square can hold a million meanings beneath. It could be a glassy window, or a wave in the ocean, or even a tile in a balcony. What makes it meaningful is what it symbolizes, and the thought behind its creation.

Every color means something deep down. Red sends out prickles of fierce, bold rebellion. Whereas, white emits calmness, solitude and spirituality.  Choosing the right color for your palette is an art within itself.

Every art form is unique, and that’s what makes each worth appreciating. For example, Madhubani art offers intricated, colorful motifs, while Warli art features simplistic, relatable village scenes. You don’t have to adore every artform, just respect their beauty and move ahead.

The message I want to leave with all of you reading this, is that ‘art’ cannot be defined with a single meaning. It is a universal language, one that holds no boundaries. So, every time someone asks you what art means to you, don’t define a medium. Express how it feels like when you stare at an artwork, and feel that sudden, electric jolt, and you know it has changed something within you.

It’s colors.

It’s texture.

Its uniqueness.

It’s originality.

But most importantly, it’s mistakes.

– Saakshi Saxena, 11 yrs