The Mess is The Process
Thinking in Watercolor with artist Jessie Kanelos Weiner
I’ve written before about my obsession with creating clubs. I love any excuse to gather and any opportunity to see as many friends as possible at once. At this point, I’ve got two wine clubs, a book club (our most recent read here), a dominoes club, and a craft club. Let’s be honest, I’ll probably keep creating more clubs.
For the craft club, we try a different project each time. One time, we decorated baby onesies though I managed somehow to embroider both sides together, effectively rendering it unwearable. I suppose it’s now just décor for the baby. Another week, we each brought a bouquet of flowers, mixed them all together, and then arranged our own bouquets to take home. We’ve hand-lettered Valentine’s Day cards, hand-painted candles, and, in one session that I unfortunately missed, poured candles—an activity that may or may not have resulted in some small infernos.
Each time, it’s been such a balm for the soul. It’s nice to have a social activity that isn’t centered around alcohol (since so much of my social life is) and I love the sense of productivity and fulfillment that comes with walking away holding something I created myself. One of the most wonderful things about this little craft club is that, because we try something new each time, we have full permission to be absolutely awful at it. In fact, my fellow craft club member Elyssa Goldberg wrote an entire Substack about this very subject (and our craft nights) titled “The Joy of Being Terrible.” There’s something freeing about making things with our hands just for the sheer joy of creating, not because they need to be perfect, or even useful, but simply because we can.
It’s part of what I like so much about the newly released book Thinking in Watercolor by local artist Jessie Kanelos Weiner. As Weiner explained to me, “I think [watercolor] resonates with the moment because it speaks of travel and by-gone times. And it’s easy, affordable and doesn’t require an artist studio.” When we met at Trombone Café recently for a quick watercolor lesson and she pulled out her watercolors on our café table, I saw just how transportable the basic supplies are and how easily you can make it part of a daily practice. “I'm really messy as you can tell,” she laughed as she spread out her palettes, “but it’s part of the practice.”
The mess is the the process is my new mantra for just about everything now.
In her book, she offers 30 days of exercises that you can do to build your confidence and develop your creativity, through the lens of watercolor. The exercises start off with the simplest techniques and build with complexity each day. Jessie recommends that “a good place to start, always, is drawing what’s in front of you and having a primary resource. There’s a reason why still lives have always been used since the beginning of time. They don’t move, they’re free, and you have them already.”
When you feel stuck or uncertain, Jessie suggests adding constraints to spark creativity. Set a time limit, use only two colors, or sketch in public where everything is in motion—anything to get out of your own head and into the flow of creating.
I chatted with Jessie more than I painted (I painted nothing) but now I feel excited and empowered to go off on my own and make art on the go from my real life.
I’m particularly excited to use my tiny new palate from Maison Banane, an artisanal Paris-based watercolor company that makes these wonderful index cards with highly concentrated pigment dots. I can slip it into my wallet, it’s that small. I received it as a Christmas present and Jessie’s book has given me the inspiration (and structure) to start my own watercolor journey. Whether it’s painting en plein air or making imperfect crafts just for fun, I’m learning to love the process as much as the outcome.
Other incredible watercolor resources for your Parisian travels:
A new artisanal made-in-Paris watercolor brand named La Nouvelle Vague that comes recommended from Jessie herself.
Jessie also recommends “a charming shop on Rue Madame filled exclusively with the watercolor-adorned work of illustrator Marin Montagut.”
Jessie also shares that drawing gum can be a helpful tool to block off white space on your page.
Located along the Seine, Sennelier has been supplying artists with high quality supplies since 1887. I love to poke around here.
Rougier & Plé is my go-to resource for most supplies for craft club here, but sometimes Sostrene Grene has inexpensive artsy things, too.
Melodies Graphiques is a wonderful paper supply store for all your papery, calligraphic, and wax seal based needs. A treasure trove.