When I am painting and when I am writing, I consider it a great day when something within myself takes over and essentially completes my project for me. This gentle urging is intuition. It is the spark that helped Michelangelo release his sculptures from a piece of rock.

Janis Joplin – Jacki Kellum Watercolor

My intuition is the painter in my most successful paintings.

Mrs. Cow Has Socks with Polka Dots – Jacki Kellum Watercolor Illustration

And my intuition is the author of my most successful writing. In fact, my intuition wrote my debut picture book, which will be released in 2021.

The details of the publication of that book are still a bit of a secret, but I can say this: My debut picture book is NOT about a cow. In fact, it is not about anything else that I have ever written. My debut picture book is something else entirely, and I have told anyone who has complimented the manuscript of that book that I didn’t write the piece at all. The angels wrote it. I simply typed.

In a previous post, I spoke about my writing process. I said that when I am writing, I close my eyes, and I type, describing what my mind is seeing.

https://x55.68c.myftpupload.com/theres-a-time-to-write-a-time-to-edit-dont-mix-the-two/

In this same post, I make it clear that I NEVER write and edit at the same time. When the editor is at work, my intuition takes a hike.

People have commented that they admire my bravery when I paint, but I assure the world that I am not the brave part of my painting team. My intuition is. When I am having a good painting day, an inward force literally takes control of my hand and urges it to dip into a little more blue and to slash it here or to dip into a little more red and to slash it there.

Gerberas Red, I White, and Blue – Jacki Kellum Watercolor Painting

I especially like to slash red. In my opinion, the color red is absolute energy. It is life.

If I l squint my eyes regularly as I paint, an internal voice takes over and tells me what to do next and where and how to do it. I merely go into autopilot, and I allow my intuition to do the heavy lifting. When I am having a good writing day, the same thing happens with my words–they begin to write themselves. My words tumble out.

I wrote a simple poem about myself when my intuition has taken control, and I have recently extended the poem into a picture book manuscript:

Moon Boat – jacki Kellum Illustration

Moon Boat
by Jacki Kellum

Just before I open my eyes
I float along the misty skies….

Don’t Wait For Your Muse to Start Your Writing Process

While this post is about my intuition, I must make one thing clear. My intuition NEVER starts working until I show up and begin the process. I have tried waiting years for my muse to move me, but it never does. At least, it never does until I show up and begin some creative project, and only then, when the time is perfect, the angels might create my best.

Multi-tasking is the Enemy of Intuition

I’ll write more about this later, but trust me: Your intuition is a jealous friend. She will not work for you if you are not giving her your absolute attention.