Create with Fresh Energy:

Ange Miller, Master Artist Mentor

I’ve been there too—it’s frustrating and discouraging.

I recently quit my galleries so I could get back to the heart of my art. I needed time and space to explore, play, and figure out what I wanted to create…not what others wanted me to create for them.

I discovered something powerful that has become a complete game-changer for me (and so many others).

It’s setting creative limits.

I know it sounds strange—how can less lead to more? But trust me on this. There’s something magical about working within really restrictive boundaries. I know it sounds counterintuitive… shouldn’t creating art be boundless and restriction-free?

Hear me out! I’ve been so inspired watching our Mastrius Mentors and Members experiment with this idea. They’ve been using shorter timeframes, unexpected materials, and all kinds of creative challenges, and the results are incredible. The growth I’m seeing is exactly why I love what I do.

Here are three creative limitations to try, but warning… it may lead to your next breakthrough:

1. Set a Timer

What if you gave yourself just 20 minutes to finish a piece?

Yes, I mean start to finish! Sounds impossible right? It’s not.You know what that ticking clock does? It forces you to stop overthinking and just create. It pushes you beyond thinking into intuitive creating.

You’ll make quick decisions without much thought, you’ll lean heavily on your instincts, and the outcome will surprise you. This exercise is definitely not about perfection—it’s about letting go and letting your body take control.

You’ll basically unplug your left brain and give your right brain the whole stage!

The key to this exercise is not just trying it once, but again, and again. Incorporating 20-minute pieces into your regular practice will unlock some major breakthroughs in your art.

2. Limit Your Color Palette…
I mean, really limit it!

Choose three colors plus white. Any three.

And complete a piece with those and only those. It will feel awkward at first, but working within these boundaries will sharpen your problem-solving skills.

You know what else it’ll do? It’ll release you from what I call “color paralysis.” You know it! When you’re spending more time on your palette trying to mix just the right shade of [insert color here], than you are on your painting. If you’re a textile artist, how much time do you waste making choices about what to add next, instead of just adding it and staying in the flow?

Limiting your color choices will give you the freedom to stop fussing about mixing it just right, or choosing the perfect one, you can simply stay in the flow of creating.

Magical things will happen when you create without constant interruption and stay in the flow.

3. Tackle a Completely Different Subject

Been painting landscapes forever? Try a floral.
Love realism? Dip your toes into abstraction.

This one should come with a warning though. Challenging yourself to work outside your norm may open up a whole new world in your art! You might just discover a direction you never knew was waiting for you. And you may never look back.

I’ve been trying all of these myself recently, and let me tell you—it’s been more than refreshing. I feel like I’m breaking boundaries that have been holding me back for years. Sure, the results aren’t always perfect, but they are real. They remind me why I create in the first place. They make me feel deeply connected to my art.

Here’s the result of me taking my own advice:

‘Jubilee’ 12 x 12 by Julie deBoer

So, how about it? What’s one creative limitation you could try this week? I’d love to hear how it goes—and what little or huge breakthrough you discover along the way.

Let’s keep growing together, one step (or one limitation) at a time.

Julie deBoer
Founder & Artist