Intuition and Intention: A New Balance in My Creative Process

Hello You!

Quick Question: When you're in the middle of a painting or an art journal page and you're not quite sure where to go next, what do you do?

For most of my creative life, the answer has been simple: I follow my intuition. It's how I first began (and fell in love with) painting, and it's still the spark that ignites my creativity. I love the feeling of beginning with a blank canvas or page, making a mark, and seeing what happens next. One color suggests another. One shape leads to a new possibility. The work unfolds through discovery rather than planning.

Recently, I've noticed a subtle shift in my creative process and it's got me thinking about the relationship between intuition and intention.

For years, intuition has been my compass in the studio. There is freedom in not knowing where a piece is headed and allowing it to emerge one layer at a time. Take a look at these great works in process:

What I'm noticing lately is that as my paintings and journal pages develop, I'm still following my intuition but I'm also inviting intention into the process.

When Intention Joins the Conversation

Somewhere along the path of intuitive mark-making, color mixing and layering, a shift often occurs. There isn't a definite point in the process that brings the shift, but at some point (most often it's after layer 3 or 4) I pause, step back, and start to ask myself more questions about the painting:

• What is this painting asking for?

• What elements deserve to stay or be emphasized?

• Where should the viewer’s eye rest?

• What story or message is emerging?

  
  

This is where intention enters. Intention is the conscious decision-making that shapes and refines the painting. It's not about controlling or limiting creativity but about supporting and clarifying it. Like this:

• Intention helps focus: It guides my choices about composition, color, and emphasis.

• It creates meaning: Intention helps me communicate a story or emotion more clearly.

• It balances freedom with structure: Intention provides a framework that supports the intuitive layers.

• It encourages reflection: Asking questions about my painting deepens my understanding and connection. (I think I was already on to this one!)

Rather than replacing intuition, intention works alongside it. The intuitive layers generate possibilities, and intention helps select and shape those possibilities into a coherent whole.

This painting is in process and is at a good place for some intentional thinking and decision-making. (See the final painting below.)

How to Balance Intuition and Intention in Your Creative Practice

Even though it takes practice and awareness, balancing these two concepts in your creative practice can set you on a new, more balanced path. Here's a fun process you can use on your next painting or journal page:

1. Start with Playfulness

Begin your work with loose, spontaneous marks. Allow yourself to explore without judgment.

2. Pause and Reflect

After a few exploratory layers, step back and look at your work with fresh eyes. Ask yourself what areas you like and what's working. I like to find and focus on what's working rather than on what isn't. This helps both me and my painting stay positive!

3. Ask Intentional Questions

• What story or feeling do I want to express and what do I see?

• Which parts of the work draw me in?

• Where does the composition need balance or rest?

  
  

4. Make Conscious Choices

Use your answers to make deliberate adjustments. Add emphasis, remove distractions, and refine details.

5. Return to Intuition

Don’t lose your playful spirit! Allow intuition to re-enter any time. Sometimes new spontaneous marks can inspire fresh intention.

6. Embrace the Process as Growth

Recognize that adding intention to intuition is a sign of artistic growth. You're not abandoning your original approach, you're enriching it with new tools.

If you worry that intention might somehow suffocate your intuition, set that worry aside right away! This only comes from associating intention with control and rigidity. Actually, intention supports creativity with clarity and direction. It helps transform your raw idea into a meaningful expression and encourages you to listen and respond to your painting with thoughtfulness.

So... to ask one more Quick Question, what if the goal isn't to know where you're going, but to trust yourself enough to listen when your painting begins to show you the way.

In gratitude,

Susie

Songs of Summer, 30"x 30", acrylic on canvas. The final painting after some intentional questions.

As a special thank you to my subscribers, enter the code songsofsummer26 at checkout for a discount on this beautiful painting.