Finding Creative Joy Again
How Play Can Transform Your Art Practice
When was the last time you made art just because you wanted to? Not for a deadline, not for a client, not for social media—just for fun. For so many of us, especially when art is tied to our income, this can feel impossible. But letting yourself play might be the thing you need most to shake off burnout or that stuck feeling you can’t quite explain.
Play isn’t just for kids. It’s one of the most powerful ways to reconnect with your creativity. Play lets you stop overthinking and worrying about failure. It doesn’t care if your art is "good" or "bad." It’s about trying things out, exploring, and rediscovering what made you love creating in the first place. If your work feels repetitive or you’re struggling to even start, letting yourself play can change everything.
As artists, we’re taught to take our work seriously. And yes, the commitment to your craft, honing your skills, and building a career—all of that matters. But being too serious can trap you in perfectionism or the constant pressure to create something "worthwhile." Maybe you’re scared to waste time or worried that experimenting will lead to failure. That mindset can make art feel more like a job and less like the joyful thing it used to be.
Think about how kids approach making art. They don’t stress over whether their painting is "correct" or their sculpture is "sellable." They’re in the moment, mixing colors just to see what happens or cutting up paper and gluing it back together because it’s fun. To an adult, it might look like chaos. But for them, it’s pure freedom. What would happen if you let yourself create like that again?
It might feel weird at first. As adults, we’re so focused on results that playing for the sake of playing feels pointless. But that’s the beauty of it. Play makes you focus on the process, on what’s happening right now, instead of worrying about what your art "should" look like. One of the best things about play is how it helps you get unstuck. When you’re in a creative block, it’s usually because you’re overthinking. Maybe you’re afraid of making mistakes, or you’re forcing an idea that just isn’t working. Play gives you permission to stop trying so hard. Scribble on some paper. Use a material you’ve never touched before. Make something intentionally bad. Just doing something—anything—without pressure can lead to ideas and breakthroughs you didn’t expect.
Play also brings back joy. When you’re always focused on deadlines or goals, it’s easy to forget why you started making art in the first place. Play reminds you that art can be messy, silly, and imperfect. It can be about the feel of paint on your hands or the sound of a pencil scratching across paper. It’s not about what you make; it’s about how it feels to make it.
If you’re worried that playing will take time away from your "serious" work, remember: play isn’t a distraction. It’s a way to recharge. When you’re playful, you take risks and think in ways you might not when you’re focused on an outcome. Those experiments often lead to some of your best work, even if you don’t realize it right away.
So how do you start? Keep it simple. Set aside 10 or 15 minutes to just mess around. Doodle in a sketchbook, try a new medium, or make marks with random objects. If you need a prompt, maybe ask yourself, "What if I only use one color today?" or "What if I draw with my non-dominant hand?" The point is to let go of any pressure to make something "good."
You can also create space or time just for play. Maybe it’s a corner of your studio with materials for experimenting. Maybe it’s one day a week where you only focus on creative exploration. The goal is to make play a regular part of your routine, not just something you do when you’re stuck. Over time, you’ll notice a difference. You’ll feel less stuck, more energized, and more connected to your work. Some of those playful experiments might even inspire your best ideas. But even if they don’t, that’s okay. The value of play isn’t in the outcome. It’s in the act of exploring and rediscovering what makes creating fun.
In my own work and with my students, I’ve seen just how powerful play can be. The students who let themselves play are the ones who make the biggest leaps. They’re not afraid to take risks because they’ve learned that failure isn’t the end of the road. It’s often where the magic happens. And while letting go of perfectionism can be hard, the freedom that comes with playing is worth it.
So the next time you feel stuck or burned out, try playing. Make a mess. Follow whatever grabs your curiosity. Don’t worry about the outcome. You might surprise yourself with what you find. But more importantly, you’ll remember why you fell in love with making art in the first place.
