How A TikTok Artist Inspired Me To Not Take Art So Seriously

A lot of times, I expect my artwork to be these extravagant, perfect pieces. If a line doesn’t look right, I’ll redraw it ten more times. If my hand moves during a paint stroke, I’ll start with a brand new canvas.

I’ve learned, though, through other artists, that art doesn’t have to be clean cut and precise. It can be messy, where you just paint whatever comes to your head and let the paint brush detail your thoughts and emotions. A specific artist (found through TikTok) that has helped me come to this revelation is Bella Hurlbut. She is a relatable 23 year old that captures certain feelings perfectly in her art work. Her pieces are beautifully messy and abstract, showing that good art doesn’t have to be intensely realistic and strict. Her website and username is called “Be Kind Bella,” which I love. Her colors are vibrant, and her messages in her paintings detail the human experience, showing that it is okay to be sensitive, soft, and gentle in this world.

Bella has inspired me probably more than any artist I have seen, which speaks volumes. I have become obsessed with her style and how well she encapsulates the feelings that her, me, and many others share.

I decided to take on the project of not only painting in her style, but letting myself paint and create loosely and freely.

Examples of Bella’s work:

My Work Inspired by Bella ! :

I thought about adding descriptions to these pieces and describing what each of them meant to me, but this didn’t seem right. It wouldn’t make much sense for me to preach about the goodness of messy and loose art and then add one solid point of view for these paintings. I want people to interpret these pieces in any way that they want. I didn’t think too much into my art for once and let my mind wander as I completed each. So, these pieces are everyone’s as much as they are mine.

I’m glad Bella’s work popped up on my for you page on TikTok, as I definitely relate to her as a person and an artist. This might seem like such a simple activity, but it ultimately changed my perception of art. Sometimes, pieces with a lot of emotion behind them are more powerful than hyper-realistic drawings. After all, letting yourself just paint is more fun than sweating over one line that isn’t perfect. I hope this inspires anyone reading this to just create. It is honestly so relaxing not worrying about the outcome. They always turn out beautiful with genuine emotion behind them.