The Day I Put My Paintbrush Down (and How I Found Joy in Art Again)
- Jodie Chandler
- Aug 6
- 3 min read
Have you ever been told your art isn’t “right”?
Maybe someone said your apple didn’t look enough like an apple. Or the green you used for the trees wasn’t the “real” green.
Those little comments can plant deep seeds of doubt. I know because I carried them for decades.
My Story: From Criticism to Curiosity
Many years ago, I studied a Bachelor of Visual Arts. I went in with so much excitement—I loved painting, drawing, and creating with my hands.
But slowly, the joy was replaced with judgment.
My apple didn’t look like an apple.
My perspective was wrong.
My greens were the wrong shade of green.
Every brushstroke felt like a test I was failing. Eventually, I put my paintbrush down and told myself art just wasn’t for me. I went on to another career and didn’t touch a brush for many, many years.
Then, everything changed.
When my third daughter was about nine or ten, we began homeschooling her due to high anxiety and sensory processing challenges.
Part of our daily rhythm became sitting across from each other at the kitchen table with a sketchbook and some watercolours.
We’d spend 10, 30, sometimes 45 minutes just creating.
No one saw the pages.
No one judged them.
No one graded them.
And something magical happened. She began to open up—sharing things that had upset her at school or worries from her day. The art wasn’t just on the page—it was in the space between us, a safe, gentle conversation that didn’t need words.
Over time, we discovered mixed media art.
Watercolour, acrylics, splatters, layers—making a joyful mess.
It was what I had longed for all along: art that makes you feel, not art that passes a test.
The Lesson: Art Thrives in Play
Through that experience, I learned something I wish I had known years ago:
Art is not about getting it “right.”
It’s about letting your intuition choose the colours. It’s about feeling joy when the brush hits the page or the canvas.
It’s about giving yourself permission to explore.
Burnout had once left me unable to make even the smallest decisions—pumpkin or potato for dinner felt impossible.
But art taught me that some decisions can be light.
Pink and purple polka dots instead of an orange flower? Yes, please.
That journey with my daughter opened a door I thought had been closed forever.
In the years that followed, I dove even deeper into creativity and healing, becoming a Holistic Integrated Creative Arts Therapist and a qualified Art & Journal Coach.
What I learned confirmed what I had felt at our kitchen table: art isn’t about being perfect—it’s about connection, curiosity, and giving your heart a safe space to express itself.
Your Invitation to Play
If you’ve been holding yourself back from art because of old stories—teachers, critics, or even your own inner voice—I invite you to play.
Paint a flower in the “wrong” colours.
Splatter and smear without worrying about the result.
Let your intuition make the choices your mind is tired of making.
And if you’d like to experience this joy in community, I’d love to welcome you to one of my Paint n Petals Days.
Paint n Petals: A Day for You and Your Creativity
Here’s how they work:
We gather in a beautiful space surrounded by flowers and inspiration.
I gently guide you through with paints and mixed media.
There’s no right or wrong—just colour, curiosity, and conversation.
You leave with your own blooming artwork and a lighter heart.
It’s not about being Picasso.
It’s about being present.
And it’s about rediscovering that your creativity has always been there—waiting for you to pick up the brush again.
These days are designed to nurture your creativity and your wellbeing—because when art feels like play, it becomes a beautiful form of self-care.
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