Art Experiments as a Maverick
Introducing a new series
Welcome to a new series of posts entitled 'Art Experiments as a Maverick.' These are meant to record amateur attempts at accessing my own creativity. I've found the less curated sometimes gives a better glimpse of the steps along the way to becoming. For example, for several years I enjoyed browsing the blogs of homesteaders with sizeable acreage living sustainably in New England. (I still do!) Lately I've had more fun following the Instagram account of someone who aspires to homesteading but lives in a Tokyo high-rise apartment. Her tiny patio holds potted plants and not even a dense jungle of them. Rather I get to follow her excitement over the little ways she homesteads and each new plant. I'm not a professional artist, nor full-on homesteader or full-time globetrotter. Although all three are lifestyles I sometimes fantasize about. Instead, I am findings ways to play at each while living in the suburbs.
When it comes to exploring creativity, I am here to document the dormancy, the sprout, and the metaphorical “just one potted plant” stage. In other words, read here for examples of imperfection and fresh ideas. I am a few years into discovering that I am both scientist and artist. When I left a fast-paced science career for a part-time library job, I created the space to get to know myself as an artist on the side. This left me stumped on how to get started as a creative.
I saw the beginner at art who innately seemed to know how to create something. I found myself looking for a pre-Beginner stage when it came to art. The Draw Together Grown-Ups Table by Wendy MacNaughton was that entry point. Her free offerings and paid Substack both offered prompts that were approachable and taught how to access creative flow. There was permission to be amateur at being creative. It confirmed that being a beginner at art is a powerful experience. Sometimes as an adult there aren't many spaces where we can so freely set responsibility aside and embrace imperfection.
Another source of inspiration was the artist David M. Bird who offers a refreshing glimpse into his creative journey. According to his website, David M. Bird is a former LEGO designer who began making Becorns, small characters out of acorns and twigs. (1) His behind-the-scenes YouTube videos are fascinating. They show an embrace and enjoyment of the process. His final art pieces are of exquisite quality yet born out of process not perfectionism.
I learned that the experimentation and observation used within science can be applied to art as well. What if I just went for it and made observational notes along the way? In the creative rather than career world, the process can hold value over the end the result. There is an opportunity to value failure. To me, taking a maverick approach to art means winging it. Learning that messy is interesting and sometimes feels like really living. Sometimes it is just frustrating like when I get too loosey-goosey with watercolor and it looks like kindergartners' play. Maybe I learn watercolor blooms meld together in cool ways. Sometimes I confirm for myself that surprises can be interesting and productivity isn't necessarily linear. Other times I find myself trying to reinvent the wheel and ready to look for advice on a specific technique. Either way we trust the process enough for mistakes to strengthen our intuition rather than sabotage our confidence.
Art is not only for the professional any more than science is.
I felt stuck between not knowing how to access my creativity but also not wanting the prescriptiveness of a Paint n' Sip sort of class. Eventually I began to spend the money I might have spent on a class on some decent art supplies and just going for it. So far this has included experiments in soapmaking, watercolor, sketching, relief printmaking, creative writing, alcohol-based markers, poetry, collage, and snail mail penpalling. You'll find travel and nature most often inspire these projects. 'Art Experiments as a Maverick' is a lab notebook of sorts detailing various art forms. There will be notes on the source of inspiration, the art process itself, and the cost/tools involved.
If you would like to introduce yourself in the comments below, I would so enjoy connecting with you. What sort of art do you experiment with or aspire to?
References:
About David M. Bird – David M Bird. Accessed Jun 10 2025. https://www.davidmbird.com/pages/about-david-m-bird