The day I discovered intuitive painting - and finally let go!

I’ll never forget the moment I picked up 'Brave Intuitive You' by Flora Bowley in my local art store. I wasn’t even looking for it - I had wandered in for a new sketchbook and some coloured pencils, the usual safe choices. But there it was, glowing on the shelf like it had been waiting for me. The cover was alive with magical layered colours bleeding into each other, messy and free. Before I'd even opened it something inside me went "I have to have this!"

I flipped through the pages, and with every turn I got more excited. This wasn’t like any 'how-to' art book I’d seen before. No step-by-step instructions, no “right” way to do things - just permission. Permission to play, to make a mess, to listen to my own instincts instead of someone else’s rules.

I bought it, along with a 30" x 30" canvas and a bunch of acrylic paints and new brushes (because you can't have too many brushes ha ha) without another thought.

That night, I cleared off my kitchen table (because who has a real studio?), squeezed out far too much paint, and just… started. I had no plan, or sketch - just colour. It felt terrifying and exhilarating at the same time - it was completely unlike anything I’d ever done before.

The First Layer: Fear and Freedom
I remember dipping my brush into a bold turquoise and splashing it across the 'massive' canvas. It felt reckless. What if I ruined it? What if it looked stupid? But Flora’s words echoed in my mind: There are no mistakes, only layers.... so I kept going.

The first layer was REALLY awkward. I kept second-guessing myself, my hand hovering over the canvas like I needed approval before each stroke. But then something shifted. I picked up a colour I’d never normally choose - a deep magenta - and I swirled it onto the page. And suddenly, it didn’t matter if it was “good.” It just felt good.

The Magic of Not Knowing
Night after night, after I got home from work, I came back to that painting. I’d add a layer, walk away, return the next day and cover half of it up. I made BIG bold strokes, I dripped. I smudged with my fingers. And the strangest thing happened - I absolutely stopped caring about the outcome.

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t trying to make something perfect. I wasn’t even trying to make something pretty. I was just following the quiet little voice inside me that said, Try red here, scratch into the paint or cover that up and make another bold move.

And with every layer, I felt lighter and lighter.

What This Taught Me About Life
What I've realised is that I didn’t just begin to learn how to paint intuitively that week. I actually began to learn how to live intuitively.

How many times had I held back because I was afraid of getting something wrong? How many ideas had I dismissed because they didn’t fit some invisible rulebook I'd created for myself? How often had I waited for permission from others, from some imaginary critic - before allowing myself to try something new or different?

Intuitive painting cracked me open. It showed me that creativity isn’t about control. It’s about trust. Trusting in yourself, trusting the process. It's about letting go of the need for everything to be neat, planned, and socially acceptable.

Why This Matters for You
If you’re reading this, maybe you’ve felt it too - that quiet longing to create without rules, to play without pressure, to finally silence that inner critic who says, You’re not an artist.

So here’s what I want you to know: You don’t have to be “good” at art to do this. You don’t need training. You don’t even need to know what you’re doing. You just need to start.

Pick up a brush (or anything you can make a mark with). Choose any colour that appeals. Put it on the canvas, then do it again, and again. Let yourself cover things up. Allow yourself to change your mind. Let yourself make messy mistakes.

Because here’s the secret: The magic isn’t in the finished painting. It’s in the process of creating without judgement, or limits or apology. It’s in the joy of discovering what wants to emerge when you stop trying to force it to be something!

Your Turn
If this calls to you - if there’s even the tiniest, teeniest spark of "Yes, I want to try that!" then do it. Grab some paint, a canvas or some paper, and just begin. Let it be messy, imperfect and let it surprise you.

Because the world doesn’t need more perfect art. It needs more YOU - unfiltered, unedited, and utterly alive in the process.

If you would me to guide you to discover your own wildly creative side then join me live online for Dream BIG Paint BIG - I can hold your hand every step of the way.

And who knows? You might just find, like I did, that the painting isn’t the only thing that transforms.

It might just be you.

Angela x

PS if you feel called to get all intuitive check out my next Dream BIG Paint BIG live experience. Or dip your toe in scrumptious intuitive waters with Painting Happiness (Magic of Life Edition) - you won't regret taking that first step!