Kind words
Testimonials
Here’s what our beautiful Messy Artists are saying about Get Messy
We show up in the mess. As our imperfect selves. Because it enables others to do the same.
When I considered joining Get Messy Art, I was worried that I was going to buy another subscription that would do nothing for me but take my money but I was looking to make stuff and make friends.
I’ve seen results since I’ve become a Messy artist. Dude! I have created 3 freaking kick-arse books jam-packed with paint, paper, flow, and love! I like that there is structure – it’s almost impossible to have artist’s block because there is always something to do. I’ve met some cool people.
I got me a freaking fairy art mother and for 29 bucks you can get one too.
We’ve been called “a modern-day Artist’s Way”*
* This was by creative coach, Hannah Fitzgibbon, and we haven’t forgotten it.
I can’t really remember pre-Get Messy anymore.
It feels like I’ve been involved forever (even though I wasn’t around at the very start.) But almost instantly after joining, I became more creative, and more motivated to create and most importantly (for me) I met and connected with a group of the loveliest, truly like minded people for what felt like the first time ever. That, for me, made – and continues to make – the biggest difference and is the best thing about Get Messy.
In the big and scary social media world, this is honestly the kindest group of people –strangers who become friends and even people you meet for the first time! It sometimes feels so odd, but in a totally good way!
My biggest success is how much I have grown as an artist and just how much I’ve learned. I do more art and also share far more art on Instagram, which means “real life” friends have seen it, and complimented it and realised I’m an “artist” and that has made me feel really, really proud. And I’m proud of owning art as my “thing” and talking passionately about it.
And that’s thanks to Get Messy. I can’t imagine not being a part of it.
Holy moly, my productivity and creativity have increased so much since I’ve joined! It’s so motivating. When I’m feeling burned out or need help thinking of a warm up exercise, I turn to the site for motivation. The crew of Get Messians supporting one another is so great.
Before I joined, I had the usual “am I good enough” and “how could I ever call myself an artist” monsters sitting on my shoulders. I really didn’t believe In myself. I did art as often as I could but struggled with inspiration and purpose. I felt unconnected. I needed motivation and inspiration.
I now have so much more confidence. I feel so much personal, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to try new things.
I love the welcoming community and connection, the tutorials, classes and prompts, and my fairy art mother, Caylee, and how she believes in me.
Before I joined Get Messy Art I doubted whether I would have time for it and whether I was worth it or not. My creativity was sporadic.
I started doing one spread a month for my bujo and my first 100 Day Project, which is where I heard about the Get Messy Art community and immediately joined. I was looking for like-minded people (messy artists) and some guidance.
The Get Messy Art community is a place where I feel very safe to talk about my frustrations and my reflections on my art. I don’t feel judged, I feel empowered!
It really showed me that it doesn’t need to be perfect, that I should just do it and keep trying. Keep creating! Eventually one finds their style, but until your signature is there, have fun in the process and create create create!
It is a great community for creative minds to meet, trade ideas, share and learn new techniques, and support each other in their artistic journey.
My creative self was starving when I joined. I constantly felt like I was not good enough and would never finish my art journals. I needed inspiration, community, acceptance of my child-like attempts, encouragement, and accountability, and that’s what I got.
I now create pieces that I never thought I could and learn and create every day even if it’s not in my art journal. I discovered ‘morning pages’ and it became part of the process that helped me leave an unhealthy marriage. The freedom I feel is amazing!
It really is a fabulous art community that supports, encourages, and inspires you to be your best creative self, and share yourself with the world.
There’s nothing they could do to make my experience better, except if they could give me more hours in my day and help me keep my art desk clear!!
Come as you are
I am stunned by the richness of this vibrant art community that I have found by becoming a Messian. I am enormously grateful for the kindness and the generosity of spirit of the people that I have found. Truly, I have been inspired.
Come as you are part of the invitation, they mean it and I love that.
So come as you are. Join us.
– Linda, @lnelson1956
A Space Where Ideas Breed New Ideas
“Get Messy is a space where creativity and making art holds a very sacred place in each one’s lives, and I think that this foundation is what makes this community so magical. It allows for an interchange of inspiration and innovation, and we all know that ideas breed new ideas.
The community gives you that extra little nudge to get things done because you are surrounded by like-minded people who are there to cheer you on and provide you with so much more than what you could ever do on your own.”
– Claudette, @claudette_hasenjager
A Human Connection To Let My Inner Spirit Soar
“I get together with other artists for the joy of human connection to let my inner spirit soar with friendship and comradery, and the process of creating with a family of people who also love to play with their hands and to make with paper, colour, paints, marks and threads, and images. I learn about myself when I make art. I learn about myself in relation to other people when I make art with other people. Kind people bring out the best in me. Being kind grows my spirit.
An art connection group is a place where we hold space for each other to remember our intrinsic value – our intrinsic value to ourselves, others, and the universe as a whole. It’s a safe place for us to explore, play, and relax, and we’re all in the presence of others who are similar to us, yet different; different enough to make it interesting. We share the joy of creating kindness in our hearts.
A creative place with connection is like a sparkling sandbox on a playground. We can watch each other make our sandcastles and we can ooh and aah over this person’s intricate mode, and then we can go “oh my gosh, what a cool tower that is” and wanna copy it right away. And all of this we can do from our own homes, in our play clothes without makeup! It’s a win-win.”
– Meghan, @firebonnet.aka.meghan
Room for All Voices
“In community, there’s room for all the voices. There’s room for all the experiences. There’s room for all the personalities. There’s room for the newbie. There’s room for the person creating for 30 years and the beauty of it all is we all get to learn from each other, so a newbie might be bringing something to the table that even a veteran of 30 years has never seen done that way before.
All of us get to learn from the people who have been doing it for years and years and all of our voices influence each other to where we are in the process. Creating ways to do things that have never been done before and would never have happened had we not all combined our talents and our personalities and our quirks. If we hadn’t brought all that to the table, it never would have happened.
Our community is a big, beautiful, bountiful buffet of all different kinds of people, all different kinds of talents. I don’t even know how to word that. A big beautiful bountiful buffet that we all get to take from and be nourished by.”
– Traci, @thisistruleetraci
Support From The Very Beginning
“I love how everyone at Get Messy is so supportive no matter what stage they are at in their creative process. I have never met a community quite like Get Messy; the one Caylee has created.
Many years later, I can honestly say that it was the best thing I ever did. Yes, some weeks were hard, tough even, but I did it. I uploaded at least one art journaling page per week for over two years. I learned so much. Not just different techniques or processes but how I wanted to and needed to push myself out of my comfort zone at times.
I do it now because I love meeting others around the world whilst chatting and creating art. There’s no pressure to do anything specific, to show anything, or to say anything. If that particular week I just want to be but knowing that my friends will be there, means that I really look forward to my Tuesday nights and to creating art.”
– Gilly, @gillywelch21
A Long-Lasting Love Story
“I’ve been in love with Get Messy for so long. It’s sometimes hard to imagine what life would be like without Get Messy. They are my people, my friends, my guides.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it would be like to be embraced by a warm, welcoming, magical community, join Get Messy. It’ll be the best thing you’ve ever done. I promise.”
– Heidi, @hatchedhalifaxheidi
When I joined Get Messy I was looking for a community that shared the same passion as me. I was looking for accountability, and a way to loosen up my art and learn how to let go of my perfectionism.
Before I joined, my art was very intentional and focused. I thought that the only way to express myself through art was to make something very polished and it had to look a certain way. I started art journaling to clear my mind when I was depressed, but in the end it frustrated me because it never looked the way I wanted it to.
The results that I have seen in my art and personal growth since I joined Get Messy are enormous. My art has become more meaningful. I’ve learned to let go of expectations, search for the messy middle, and embrace the process. Because of the art habit that I’ve created for myself, I feel more balanced in my personal life.
The part that I most enjoy about being a Messian is to learn and communicate with other people who love art journaling as much as I do. The emails and support I receive are always very helpful and are a reminder to create.
If anyone is sitting on the fence, I would say join! It will be very wonderful to have you as a fellow Messian. You’ll immediately get a warm welcome and a library full of inspiration. There’s a bunch of cheerleaders waiting for you to make the art you dream to make.
The internet can be a hard place, especially when you are sharing personal art and details. I don’t think that there’s any other community out there on the internet that’s so supportive as the Get Messians. Art-wise, Get Messy has a huge library of challenges, prompts and lessons to pick from so you never have to go through another day without inspiration. They offer accountability and inspiration like no other. If you are open to it you can learn so much from other artists and Messians.
Joining Get Messy will change the way you look at art and yourself.
When I started, I wanted to be like the big kids and tried to make pages like TLee and Misty. It took me a while but I started to move into my own thing and style and I realized (I can’t say ‘soon’ because it took a good amount of time and work) that I am not your traditional art journaler. I love most of what I create and I wouldn’t be doing it at all if it wasn’t for Get Messy Art and the constant encouragement to keep going and improving.
I enjoy being a Messian because I’m filling up my sketchbooks! In fact, filling up sketchbooks that I have made. I love to make books and work alongside everyone. I’m constantly learning – even a hint from someone’s Instagram can spark an idea.
I am always surprised by the amount of work I have created, some good and some bad, but all of it essential to the next page I create and the enjoyment of the creation. (how many forms of ‘create’ can I use in one sentence? Ha ha ha)
Sometimes I seem to grind to a gentle halt in my art journal and the Get Messy Art community is always there to encourage me. You do a lot to help people keep creating and I always appreciate that.
Joining Get Messy Art was the first time spending money online (I don’t think I’d bought any online classes back then), so I was debating with myself for a tiny bit, but made the plunge and I’m so glad I did! If I’m ever in a creative rut there’s always other Messians and the messy archive to get me making anyway.
I tend to think through my art journal pages more, and I usually have some kind of intention when making it (even if it’s just to relax and have fun). I’ve also tried new things and enjoyed learning new skills.
I was surprised by the community feeling. I know Get Messy is a community so it shouldn’t be as surprising, but the feeling of sharing work and knowing it’s part of a bigger collection of works is so fun (and it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t get a single like or comment, it’s still part of it). And of course, seeing what other people make.
I know we always talk about scrolling as a time waster, but I love starting my day in bed with a cup of tea and a look through my feed. Seeing other Messians’ art just makes me excited for when I’m done with my breakfast and I can squeeze in some art time before going to work because seeing what they do makes me want to do it too.
Creating Magic Together
“I joined Get Messy in 2017. I was a fairly new art journaler then; I’d been art journaling for about a year and stumbled upon a class within Get Messy and I fell in love with it, joined, then became a lifetime member and I participate in all the seasons.
Now, my art journaling has taken off. I teach in-person art journaling classes, I inspire many I’ve sold art, and have gone to a two-week art residency.
The artists I thought of as “famous” in the community when I first started are totally normal people who are completely accessible and delightful.
It’s a magnificent community of artists who inspire and cheer one another on, and create magic together. I enjoy the people I’ve met and looking at their art online.
I love the community. I’ve made friends who will be my lifelong friends through Get Messy and I just really adore Caylee and the way she shepherds her brood along in creativity and I’m just so grateful that I found the community.”
– Debbie @debbiebamberger
Ideas When You’re Running Dry
“I’ve been art journaling since like 2013 and a few years later I learned about Get Messy, but I was still in high school and my parents wouldn’t agree to pay for that much. So pretty much right as soon as I became an adult and got enough money, I joined Get Messy because I wanted to be in a community with other art journalers and people who had similar interests and enjoyed creating art.
The hangouts are wonderful and amazing, and it’s great spending time with other artsy people and creating. The prompts are probably my favourite part and a part that I still follow a lot, and the challenges and stuff because it helps inspire me to keep creating art and give me ideas for my art journal when I’m running dry, which happens somewhat frequently.
I’ve found so much great advice from the forums and the classes that I haven’t really found elsewhere. So yeah, it’s just a really good community and a lot of great resources.”
– Sara, @sara_arts_a_lot
I wasn’t doing much work creatively before joining Get Messy Art and I doubted that I was an artist. I was looking for a way to receive regular reminders to create and a way to see what “real” artists were doing.
I have now become much more comfortable experimenting with my supplies and I am not nearly as focused on creating something pretty as I am with just doing my art. I participated in a hangout a couple of months ago and was so surprised by how much fun I had.
I needed a motivator to create in a more focused way, inspiration, encouragement, and a sense of community. Since I’ve joined, I have a more consistent practice and a more willingness to try. I have seen a stirring of my own creative ideas and ways of self-expression.
Get Messy Art keeps on getting better. I was surprised by how I can participate at different levels depending on how much time I can make or how much energy I have. I can go full-on or just use a few minutes here and there.
I enjoy that it provides me with the needed support and nourishment for the creative part of me, which is often at risk of being obliterated by all the other parts of my life.
“I have felt like a frustrated artist most of my adult life. My heart and soul beg to be expressed nonverbally, yet as a pastor, most of my expression comes through speaking.
When I joined Get Messy I was it was as if someone had given me a whole new language. I still don’t know all the terms, their meaning or use, but I love being awash in their colors, sounds, and textures. I long for the day when I am fluent, but for now I am content to immerse myself in the pool of creativity.
I am thrilled to have found this soul feeding oasis!”
Joining get Messy in 2016 was the luckiest giveaway victory of my life. It has truly changed my life in so many ways.
Prior to becoming a Messian, I had this black hole inside me – it asked for something, some creativity, some inspiration, but I didn’t know how to feed it. As I joined get Messy, I discovered a whole new world where creativity could be a part of your everyday life. I didn’t have to earn an art degree, go to special courses, or wear a badge that said “I am an artist”. All I needed to do is make art. And hundreds of people were doing the same thing.
The community aspect of Get Messy is the thing I cherish the most. I wouldn’t be able to create so much work without their constant support and appreciation. So, if you feel like it’s time to get messy, Get Messy is the place for that.
I joined Get Messy to learn how to art journal, I’d seen what other people were doing with art journals on Instagram and Pinterest and felt it would be a creative, fun and expressive thing to do.
There are prompts to get you thinking and art journaling, tutorials to learn new ways to express yourself visually and there is inspiration in seeing what other people create and hearing their stories. You can do as little or as much as you want, be as noisy in the group or as quiet as suits you, share on Instagram if that is your thing or see what other people have shared and give them feedback.
I think though my very favourite thing about Get Messy is the people. Beginners to artists all creating, sharing, and getting to know each other. Support is there when you need it,as well as encouragement, advice, and well just fun hanging out together online. Caylee has really created something special here and is generous with her knowledge and time (as are the other members). So it’s official I am a Get Messy fan!
I have always been a creative soul, I collect art supplies and have huge ideas but more often than not, life has different plans that don’t include long hours of creative arty projects!
Get Messy has been amazing for me. After having my baby boy in March 2014, I had lost sight of my creative side. I was a new mama, in a new house away from my hometown.
Through Get Messy I have made so much art “just because” I needed to. I have channeled my nerves and worries about returning (and now being back at ) work into super productive nap times and I make the most of my evenings. I’ve been inspired again and found like-minded and incredibly talented friends through our lovely “Get Messy” group.
I love seeing how one prompt can take so many directions…It has changed how I feel, I look forward to my art time (and include my son’s art too) and I feel more like my old self again. Thank you for sharing such a precious gift.
I joined Get Messy back in 2015 because of FOMO. I’d been looking for an art journaling community since 2013 and while I did find one on Ning, it was so big that I felt completely lost. I loved that Get Messy was smaller and a bit more intimate. And even though I didn’t have the time to dive right in (I was backpacking through Asia for months at the time), I still decided to join cause I didn’t want to miss out. Best decision ever! When I did have the time to really explore, everyone was so sweet and encouraging.
Honestly, what I most enjoy about Get Messy is the community. While the prompts and tutorials and classes are all wonderful for jumpstarting ideas, it’s really the community that drives me to make and share my work! I’ve also had the greatest opportunities working with Get Messy that now whenever anybody asks me what I do in life, I never fail to mention this amazing art community I’m a part of.
Joining Get Messy was the best decision ever – I hadn’t realised there were so many like-minded peeps out there who wanted to preserve and create in the same way as me but since joining my eyes have been opened to a whole new world of possibilities to capture between the pages of a book – whether handmade/handbound or sourced for just the perfect shape and style of paper. I started out as a ‘junk journaler’ but now I’ve created mystical galaxies, transferred portraits and will be making my own leaf and flower press for Spring – yay for Get Messy every day!
I’ve found nothing but support and joy in the Get Messy Community. Every single person is genuinely nice and an amazing artist. I’ve been recommending classes and memberships to everyone I know because it is absolutely worth it.
I can’t imagine not having the Get Messy Crew in my life.
Before I joined, I had so many doubts. I didn’t see myself as an artist. All I did was scrapbook – I didn’t know about art journaling. I was looking to experience art more freely by learning different techniques, expressing my emotions through art, and writing about me and the world again.
I overthink art most of the time because I want to make something beautiful. When I focus on translating what I’m feeling into art, the result always pleases me. Get Messy Art helped me with their quick and simple tutorials. I learned so much! Specifically how to collage!
I enjoy the community and the “let’s do it” kind of art.
My creativity was sparse before I started Get Messy Art. I created only once in a while and I had a hard time creating in 2019. I followed Get Messy Art on Instagram and saw all that was available and decided to take the plunge and join. I initially wondered if I was going to stick with it and whether it was worth the price or not, but I believe it is. There are so many resources here, and so much love and support.
I found it hard to create. I used to pick up countless books but never did anything in them. Creating felt lonely, and it has been easier since joining. I have finally unwrapped and used a brand-new journal that has been sitting in my art stash for over a year!
It’s a space of artists coming together to create more, and express more, while turning off the perfectionist and getting messy!
“My biggest challenge prior to joining Get Messy was not having a group of people I felt comfortable with connecting over making art, and feeling encouraged to keep creating and sharing. I feel part of a community and inspired to create every day. I can feel myself getting more confident and open with sharing my art. I’m super happy I have joined and really excited about diving in and having my most creative year yet – thank you Caylee and everyone who is a part of Get Messy.”
Since joining Get Messy, my biggest artsy win of all time is owning myself as an artist. After having moved twice in three years, going through one of the toughest seasons of my life, and through the recent tumultuous time that is in this country and the world, Get Messy has been a lifesaver and a home to me.
I am forever grateful for this community that not only makes me feel loved but also causes me to laugh…a lot!”
I love that I can lurk around to enjoy the inspiration and see the progression in people’s art. It’s an amazing art space – non-judgemental, with tons of inspiration and learning opportunities, and is value for money. It’s a place to feel safe and to be as involved or invisible as you want with no pressure.
My biggest problem now is prioritising all the ideas I have and keeping track of them. I don’t fear a blank page anymore.
I’ve always been quite creative but I found it difficult to make the time. Work kept me busy and commuting to work made me so tired. I noticed a decline in my wellbeing in general so I knew I needed to make the time and a like-minded community of artists to help me and that allow me to help others.
I found GM from CreativeBug and now I am part of the best online community. I was surprised by the amount of support I received and how I was welcomed into the community.
“This wonderful, supportive group has taught me so much. About art journaling, friendship, commitment to my creative pursuits and the power of community.”
“Joining Get Messy has allowed me to gain confidence in my art journaling and develop my own style. With weekly prompts and tutorials, daily inspiration and an amazing supportive community (seriously it is the best!), I feel I am flourishing in my creative life. I definitely have to thank Get Messy for helping me take the leap from being an observer to a doer!”
“I love GM… for its energy, inspiration and its happy positive vibe… best of all it’s encouraged me to literally ‘Get Messy’ and to just play and have fun and forget about achieving an outcome…..”
“Maybe it was the name “Get Messy” that spoke to me, I really can’t remember. Art journaling turned out to be one of my greatest creative joys, so Get Messy works as a catalyst for all my artsy experiments. I love the prompts and the community, somehow it feels like we’re all connected on a deeper level. Thank you so much for creating this wonderful space for us! Lots of moose-y love to you”
One of the best things I did was join Get Messy. It’s nice to come home and away from work and pour all the negativity out and create something positive, while being part of a community that will encourage me and always see the best even when I can’t see it.
Who needs yoga or therapy I have Get Messy!
I’m surprised by the international variety of artists that take part and also the wide range of experience. Some are clearly professional artists and others are just dabbling in Ardis therapy, like me.
Get Messy is like art camp for people who don’t have time to go away on a retreat or an artistic vacation. And you can do it at home in your pyjamas.
My biggest challenge was me…. feeling like I was not artistic enough to do art journaling. Once I joined Get Messy, I realized, I could get in there and just create, make it a daily habit, get continual inspiration, and most importantly, feel inspired and proud of my own work.
I grew because of the prompts and the support from others and tutorials. I’ve created more than I ever have. There’s always something to put down on my blank paper. I am ecstatic I joined and continued on with my subscription. Everyone is so welcoming and there’s such a variety of artwork and inspiration!
“I feel like I found a family! This is exactly what I feel when I scroll down my Instagram and see art by people I don’t know but yet I know them. This will be my seventh year of Get Messy. So much fun, such an awesome way to find myself. Would I recommend to join Get Messy? Hell yeah!!!”
I needed something or someone to help inspire me. My left brain always gets in the way that I struggle with just playing for play’s sake OR the joy of it. I was looking for people to help me learn to have more of that “play” mindset instead of always having to make “good, marketable” art…sad, isn’t it?
I enjoy the fact that there is a community that is accepting of just making marks and playing, and that, alone, is simply enough! I am becoming more accepting of just playing in my art journal now.
If you’re thinking of joining but aren’t sure, jump off that fence and INTO Get Messy! You won’t regret it!
I find Get Messy Art Journal an amazing place for anyone to start with art journaling. I only started art journaling on regular basis after joining the community. I found tons of inspiration and tips. It’s really nice to interact with everyone in the community as they are all really nice and supportive. Thanks again for all the effort you put into this, you are doing a truly amazing job.
Before Get Messy, I was yearning. Typically my creativity was expressed in projects for others. Any creative activities for myself felt … lonely?
Get Messy is a creativity community that fits your life. There is always something new for me to try, and I never feel like I don’t have the right materials, always given permission to interpret the lesson in my own way.
“I am really new to mixed media and my biggest challenge was backgrounds and creating original pages. I felt overwhelmed by products. Get Messy took away the anxiety and helped me learn new techniques and product use. I started to see a real improvement in my work as a budding artist! I am so happy I joined this community of friendly, talented artists!! And would absolutely encourage others to join 😍”
“If my best friend asked if she should join Get Messy, I would say: immediately.”
Get Messy Art is pretty awesome.
Before I joined, I made art but didn’t have much community which was what I was looking for. I have not made a lot of art and a lot of advances in my career from the support I’ve gotten.
It’s such a great community of welcoming folks.
I enjoy that there’s absolutely no pressure to be “good” at art or even to produce as much as anyone else. I also love that at the end of the day when all my responsibilities are done, I can open my laptop or phone and my art journal and leave (messy) tracks in the sand.
I have been on the site weekly since joining, often more than once a week. I have formed so many friendships with other artists around the world, hosted meetups, made zines with other Get Messians, and I almost always have at least one or two collaborations going on with other members.
Art journaling is part of my self-care routine and I have had the opportunity to teach through Get Messy and have had the courage to teach in person as a result. I even have my own Etsy account and have sold some of my drawings, something I never thought was possible before I joined Get Messy.
My biggest challenge prior to joining Get Messy was finding a creative outlet that would bring me joy and that I could prioritise. Get Messy introduced me to art journaling whereby I could use what I’d learned in all my previous crafty endeavours into one way of creating art. In doing so I found I wanted to create more so made this a priority for my time.
I grew as an artist by throwing myself into the Get Messy community and the amazing classes available. My biggest arty win since joining is doing the Get Messy habit for every single season that I’ve been a member – that means I’ve prioritised myself even for 10 minutes each week. A massive win for someone who hardly ever takes time for herself.
I’m so happy I joined Get Messy, it’s more than the prompts, tutorials and classes. It’s a community of wonderful people all trying to express themselves in an arty way.
My love affair with art journaling started a year ago when I stumbled across the Get Messy art journal group and Caylee through Pinterest.
Get Messy is a group of people from all around the world, creating cool, eclectic and powerful art on various topics. It was unlike any creative course I had heard of before, accepting each person’s own style whilst constantly encouraging you to grow and explore your art practice. Add to this mix, support and the sense of community that comes with joining the group and I was hooked!
I had been keeping a sketchbook of work going since I graduated from my textiles degree in 2010 but dipped in and out of it half-heartedly. I knew that I wanted to keep up my creativity outside of work but self-motivating was hard and I found myself repeating easy patterns and techniques that I knew worked. With Get Messy, prompts and challenges are shared with the group to help inspire and push your creative limit, which was exactly the boost I needed!
It’s this modern way of creating art, documenting life and then sharing it which appealed to me, maybe the most. We live in a digital era now where creating your own work in your own sketchbook doesn’t have to stop there.
Art, in my mind, is created for yourself mainly but also for others. To be shared and enjoyed, to hopefully inspire and motivate someone else’s imagination as well as your own. I can honestly say that joining this program is one of the best decisions I have made in my life, it has pushed me creatively and given me a whole new group of likeminded friends. I look forward to days when I can journal and feel complete every time I can give a home to all the random magazine snippets I have mercifully collected for years… I couldn’t recommend it enough and would feel lost without it!
“I have had to struggle with perfectionism. Get Messy has helped me realize that done is better than perfect. Watching everyone else have so much fun and make art has encouraged me to believe in my abilities. I definitely encourage my arty friends to join Get Messy.”
Get Messy has absolutely changed my life. I have had my creative life expand exponentially and it is still growing daily. The prompts and tutorials have pushed me to try new things and to make my art more intentional. I have seen massive growth in my style, technique and frequency of creating. In addition, the amazing group of people I have met through Get Messy is what has changed my life the most. Art journaling within a community of love, support, and camaraderie is what has made Get Messy a key part of my day to day life.
“I was just going through some old art journals last night, and I realize how much my style has changed, evolved and improved. It’s amazing to me the content that you provide on the Get Messy site. I especially love the tutorials! It’s amazing to me that I can say, “I am an artist” with sheer certainty and confidence. I feel it’s such a gift that Get Messy has given me!”
Get Messy has helped me to build my confidence as an artist, and actually helped me to recognize myself as an artist. This community is so supportive and although I have only been a member for a short time, I’ve already made many great friends, and learned tons!
As a guy finding a community of journalers and artists who accept and support your aspirations is amazing. I no longer feel alone thanks to the messy family. I couldn’t be happier that I joined, and would recommend it to anyone trying to further there creative life.
I was looking for a community and tutorials. My art is thriving, and I enjoy that I have access to bookbinding tutorials and inspiration.
Get Messy Art is for art journal enthusiasts who are looking to access incredible tutorials and need inspiration.
Joining Get Messy Art has been an adventure! I’ve had opportunities to expand my artistic abilities while also exploring what it means to be me! I’ve been able to learn new skills, and seeing what other people have created has been so inspiring.
I was surprised to see a lot of content to explore and learn. Get Messy Art is an eclectic adventure of all things creative without judgement and full of encouragement.
“Get Messy has connected me with people across the world with a similar interest and goal. It motivates me to embrace my creativity.”
“Sometimes I worry if what I write in our group is too personal or geeky or I am too old for the group -but then I say screw it and write what I am feeling- I love the group to pieces and art journaling and actually sharing it has been a life changer! Sounds so weird but it’s true- I feel more enthusiastic about everything – and it’s helped me trudge along when I have had some trying days- knowing I have to get some pages done!”
“I was lucky enough to stumble across Get Messy and to become a part of such a fabulous movement. It opened up a door to my creative side that had been closed for quite a while. It inspired me to create regularly and I am so grateful for that. I also got to ‘meet’ a bunch of other kick-ass creative women whom I consider to be friends. I couldn’t recommend it enough.”
“Since I started Get Messy, I feel so more close to who I am! Me, who didn’t think being creative at all, I discovered I can create and like what I do, and dare sharing my pages with the community. What I really like is the supportive spirit and the inspiration I find in the group. Since I Get Messy, I am more serene, I see some improvements even in my professional and personal life!”
I thought I wasn’t good enough to join Get Messy Art but I needed tutorials on how to art journal as I’ve always wanted to do it. I now know that I can. I was surprised by how a bunch of strangers can make art off the same tutorial and none of it looks the same because Get Messy Art is where art is whatever we want it to be. I wanted to be part of the gang and it’s such a joy to be part of a community of artists like this.
When I joined, I initially doubted that I would be good enough and compared myself to other Messians. I rarely compare myself to others now and I feel like I have true friends even though I have only met them online. The community is beyond amazing – they give me hope for the world.
Just starting to create is hard. That blank page intimidates a lot of us. Get Messy has addressed this problem several times, though, and I need to go back and listen to all the good advice again. These days, after months away from art, I’m telling myself to just put something – anything – on a journal page. It may not be deep or pretty, but I will have made some art!
I enjoy great prompts and seasons — they’re so inspiring. Also, the tutorials and classes are superb.
“Get Messy is a wonderful community of like minded people who like to create. The weekly prompts are inspirational and the Facebook page creates a special feeling of friendship and community. The GM blog is full of inspirational tips from members and member spotlights. I am so glad I joined GM it is like having a whole other group of friends who ‘get’ you. It has become an important part of my life.”
Since joining Get Messy I have created every day. I have tried out different techniques and materials, and I have made some Messy friends, and shared my creative work. I have found ways to integrate creativity into my life.
I had never kept an art journal before. Keeping one has given me space to experiment, and this has led to some surprising results.
I enjoy the seasons as I know that many of us are working on the same theme, and sharing my work in the Seasons gallery. The Weekly hangout is good to connect and to get to know people, and the inspiration because I have found all sorts of things from Get Messy Art creeping into and appearing in my work.
It’s a wonderful creative place to learn, be supported, get inspiration and share. I was surprised by the very genuine atmosphere of support, and the ways in which people openly share how they are feeling and how my intentions seem to drift into reality quite magically.
“Joining Get Messy has changed my life in ways I didn’t even know were possible. I now have a whole group of best friends from all over the world I can call on for support and advice. This group is so inspiring and it’s constantly pushing me to be a better artist.“
“Get Messy has been so beneficial to me. I am passionate about art journaling but I wasn’t sure if my work would resonate with others. Get Messy has enabled me to share my work without censoring it and to get feedback from a supportive group of creatives. This has enabled me to dig deeper, to stretch and to finally define my style. It has given me the courage to apply on a creative design team which I never would have done before.
The accountability and the pleasure that comes from sharing my pages with Get Messians has been an integral part of my journey.”
“I had never seriously art journaled until I joined Get Messy during the Season of Love. I am so happy to have found Caylee and Get Messy. They took me out of my comfort zone and taught me so much about this very fun art form. Thank you!”
Get Messy has changed my life, and that’s not an exaggeration.
I live in a small apartment and up until this spring, my craft supplies were simply taking up space. More than once I considered whether I should just throw them out. I have always been an artistic person, I took painting classes just for fun as a child and teenager, but after school, I pretty much stopped creating. I guess I just didn’t really know which medium or style was for me. Get Messy has been such a revelation.
In my art journal, I can experiment, every page can be a different style if I like, I can play with things, I can get comfortable (slowly) with the idea of sharing my creativity and my art. I have met the most wonderful women, all of whom are hugely inspirational and I feel so excited to continue my path toward finding my art and having tons of fun in the process.
Before getting into Get Messy I thought that all Messians were super productive art makers and I would feel like an impostor between them. I was surprised to see that there are other people who are just as busy as me during the day and also have the same urge to make some time to make art in the evening. The few times I have shared something, I always get super nice comments and feel that I fit right in.
My creativity was non-existent before I joined. I would do something that I call paper crafting (using scrapbook materials without using photographs) but only very sporadically. Now, even though I don’t have a very regular art journaling habit, I do have more experience.
I feel the need to sit down and make some art or follow a tutorial from time to time even though I initially thought they might be “too difficult” or that I might need a bunch of supplies I didn’t have. I love getting completely sucked up in it and losing track of time. It’s very relaxing.
The resources on the Messy site are endless and there’s no obligation to do all the tutorials or follow them exactly.
My art was very muddled before I joined. I was trying a lot of different reactive activities but would flit between them and not really enjoy the process. I felt that I was rubbish at art and that I wouldn’t find my own style.
I am now happier within myself as creating gives me an outlet – a way to be me and not just a mother, wife or teacher. The titles that limit me outside of art do not constrain me when I create. I can be who I want to be and express myself how I need to.
