Paint. Play. Repeat.
A playful rebellion against the January doldrums
Jan 14, 2026
January has been whispering at us long enough.
Sketch quietly. Reflect deeply. Set intentions. Choose a word. Be gentle.
And while all of that has its place… some days what we really need is color that refuses to behave.
So today, we’re turning things up a notch. No resolutions.No meaningful outcomes.No pressure to make something good.
Just paint. Just play. Just movement.
If January has been heavy, consider this your permission slip to make a mess and enjoy it.
🎨 The Only Rule
You don’t have to finish anything.
Stop mid-stroke.Turn the page.Paint over it tomorrow.Rip it out.Use it as collage fodder.
This is about energy, not evidence.
🎶 Studio Playlist: Paint. Play. Repeat.
This playlist is meant to keep your hands moving and your inner critic distracted.No skipping. No fixing. When the song ends, you stop.
Best used for: painting, collage, mixed media, art journaling, warm-ups
🎧 Track List
Warm-Up (ease in, start moving)Dog Days Are Over — Florence + The MachineGolden — Harry StylesPut Your Records On — Corinne Bailey RaeBanana Pancakes — Jack JohnsonLovely Day — Bill Withers
Momentum (hands busy, brain quiet)Electric Feel — MGMTTongue Tied — GrouploveGood as Hell — LizzoShut Up and Dance — Walk the MoonFeel It Still — Portugal. The Man
Playful / Color-ForwardHappy — Pharrell WilliamsBrave — Sara BareillesBudapest — George EzraSend Me On My Way — Rusted RootWalking on Sunshine — Katrina & The Waves
Creative Flow (steady, immersive)Midnight City — M83Home — Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic ZerosDreams — Fleetwood MacRiptide — Vance JoyUnwritten — Natasha Bedingfield
Finish Strong (stop without fixing)Shake It Out — Florence + The MachineThis Must Be the Place — Talking HeadsHere Comes the Sun — The BeatlesThree Little Birds — Bob Marley & The Wailers
🔥 Prompt One: Paint Like You’re Late
Pick one of your favorite songs or borrow one from my playlist. Pick two if you are feeling really rebellious.
Choose three colors—this is the sweet spot for colorful harmony.Start painting without sketching.
Move fast.Use your non-dominant hand for part of it.Let drips happen.Let colors bleed or clash.
When the song(s) end, stop.Do not fix anything.
🌀 Prompt Two: Collage Without Meaning
Gather:• 5 scraps of paper• 1 texture (tissue, napkin, fabric, book page)• 1 unexpected item (thread, foil, receipt, packaging)
Glue them down as fast as you can.
Do not ask what it represents.Do not explain it.
When it’s dry, add one line anywhere on the page.
Walk away. (Kelly Clarkson style.)
🌈 Prompt Three: Color Therapy, Zero Thinking
Choose a color you’ve been avoiding or you don’t normally use. (for me that would be orange.)
Fill a page with it.
Not neatly.Not evenly.Just let it exist.
Layer on top with dots, scribbles, scratches, shapes, or marks.
No imagery required.
🎶 Prompt Four: Paint to One Song
Put on one song from the playlist.
Paint for the entire length of the song.
No pausing.No rewinding.When the song ends, you’re done.
If you feel stuck, change tools, stand up, or splatter paint to keep you moving.
🖍 Prompt Five: Use the “Wrong” Tool
Paint with something that isn’t meant for painting:• cardboard• sponge• old credit card• rag• fork• your fingers
Choose the thing that feels slightly rebellious.
🗂 What to Do With What You Make
Nothing is required.
But you can:• tear it up for future collage• layer over it later with doodles or simple marks• scan it for digital backgrounds• tuck it into a sketchbook pocket• leave it on your desk as a reminder
Or simply let it be done.
If your inner critic butts in, kindly escort her/him out of the studio. This is YOUR space.
🗒 A Note from Miss Bitsy
“This seems unproductive. Shouldn’t we be setting goals? Also… are we wasting good paint?”
Dear Miss Bitsy,we are using the good paint on purpose.That’s the point.
Gelli Print with acrylic paint and acrylic ink.
✨ A Gentle Invitation
If you try any of these prompts, feel free to:• share one word that describes how it felt• name the prompt you enjoyed most• or simply notice how your body felt while making
No pressure. No performance.
Dancing encouraged. Singing at the top of your lungs applauded.
January doesn’t need to be quiet.It just needs motion.
Paint accordingly.Miss Bitsy has been politely escorted out of the studio.
Living Creatively,Jennifer
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