c/o Erick Buendia

Before starting the process of making art, you should treat it like it’s trash and remind yourself that the end result will not matter and no one will care. Once you let go of the high expectations of painting, filmmaking, or writing, then you can start. Artists always strive to make the best piece they can, but that puts the process of making art on a pedestal that is impossible to achieve. By letting go of the pressure to make the next masterpiece, the anxiety and overthinking will go away. This results in your mind being more open and receptive to whatever ideas suit you, and the piece can evolve over time and be adjusted without the iron bars of rigidity and perfectionism to hold you back.

Making meaningless art can lead to surprising results. Over the summer, I was able to showcase my art to a group of people. To my surprise, my less conventional paintings got more attention than the ones that I made to be more conventional. By aiming to be conventional, I ended up holding myself back. But in the end, I found that my least favorite paintings were the most popular. The reason they were my least favorite paintings was because I had little

c/o Erick Buendia

care for them while painting and spent less time on them compared to the others. I had put them up at the last minute to fill up some space on the wall for the exhibition. I felt as if I had not put in enough effort or time into them, so they were not worthy to be seen, but the audience

ended up being more receptive to them.  

I think one reason that people can be drawn to art is because it tells you something about the artist themself. Their likes, dislikes, personality, and what they think about are shown in their art, and it can be a sign of vulnerability for the artist. The best art is the art that you are embarrassed to show other people. The embarrassment is indicative of your subconscious coming through your art piece. Showing a part of yourself to others can be scary, but it makes for interesting pieces to your audience because it is genuine. By turning off your brain and putting the pen to paper,

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paintbrush to canvas, or eyeball to camera, your subconscious and your vulnerability can flow through and be present in the end result. 

In the end, this is not the only way to make art. There are many ways to go about making and approaching art. In my opinion, letting go of external pressures is one strategy that leads to a relaxed environment and a more enjoyable and fulfilling art-making experience. 

Erick Buendia can be reached at ebuendia@wesleyan.edu.