Outside the Lines: Why Breaking the Rules is the Best Thing Any Artist Can Do

I’ve spent my whole life coloring inside the lines.

In kindergarten, I’d be the last to finish my drawing because I’d thrown away three drafts in ten minutes.

Even now, no drawing is complete until I’ve spent hours making it look exactly like the reference photo.

I’ve always loved the feeling that I’m doing something correctly. I enjoy rules because, like lines on a page, you don’t cross them--or at least you shouldn’t. Even when there are no clear rules, my mind races, drawing lines in permanent ink, threatening to throw the whole drawing away if I even entertain the thought of crossing them.

Within the past year, the lines have started to fade.

I currently take a course through Saint Louis University recently renamed Gifted Writers’ Academy. Through my six years in the program, I’ve written dozens of pieces, spanning all genres. Poetry, specifically the villanelle form, has become my genre of choice. In a villanelle, there are two refrains, which appear four or more times each throughout the poem. The entire form follows an ABA rhyme scheme, with the refrains as A rhymes. I appreciate the dependability of the villanelle: it’s easy to lay out, then fill in the lines as you go--like a coloring page. When I wrote my first poem in this form, I loved it. But last week, as I looked back through my past writings, I noticed how rigid and traditional it felt: each thought was trapped inside its own line, connecting with the next only by an obligatory comma; each metaphor was safe, infallible. I never revisited my first draft. While that poem is still one of the most important pieces, to me, that I’ve written, it does not reflect my current style. That first villanelle was comfortable, a tribute to the methodical monster in my head. In time, I had to let that version of myself go.

I learned to play with enjambment and syntax, mirroring the techniques of two of the best poets (and friends!!) I know--Olivia Bickford and Ellie Gilstrap. Olivia’s villanelles read like fifth drafts, professionally polished with flowing precision. Her themes are specific, yet relatable: she exhibits the impossible versatility of simple lines like “Please, just wash the dishes.” Ellie’s poetry transcends form--her mature, complex diction is complemented by her incredible sense for rhythm and rhyme. Her clear, heartfelt storylines are laced with chillingly beautiful sensory undertones. Having these girls as role models greatly influenced my style: I learned to vary my repeating lines, allowing them to transition into the next line or continue the former. I played with formatting, at times forgoing the traditional vertical structure of the villanelle for a more dramatic one. I even played with freeform poetry, for the first time in my life embracing a complete absence of rules. I found a challenging comfort in my new creative headspace, one that would drive my artwork as well.

Early in my collage portfolio, my work featured straight lines and careful cutouts, evidence of the rules I’d set for myself. But as my writing process changed, I began to allow myself to create without limits: my style has evolved into what I like to call “meaningful mess.” I’ve learned not to ignore negative space, but to embrace it, often taking advantage of the opportunity to bring a new color or motif into the mix. I never understood how giving myself permission to break the rules--to color outside the lines--could be so constructive.

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Inspired by my friend Arden, who runs a music, acting, and lifestyle blog called Good Song, Good Soul, I’ve decided to include a featured artist and the book I’m currently reading at the end of each post!

Today’s #featuredartist is Thais Silva! She is a Brazilian collage artist who uses lots of reds, golds, and neutrals to create bold digital designs. You can find her at blackcollage.com.br or on Instagram at @blackcollage_ !!

I am #currentlyreading The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells, a book about what we can do to fight the inevitability and gravity of climate change. I’m really enjoying it so far, even if it has caused me a couple existential crises.

Keep creating!

Mimi