For the last few months I have had the great pleasure of giving art therapy workshops in a Wellness Center for people working through issues of addiction, mental health and self worth. What really stands out to me in every session is how harshly most participants judge themselves. This is a reflection of most people I speak to when mentioning art or painting. The judgments stand in their way and inhabits their freedom. In last week's session, after the class, I found myself giving a passionate presentation on how we have the right to paint. We have been handed down many messages on what art has to be, how it must be pretty or "good," and how it is reserved for the elite and the talented. Even if not said outright, we get the messages. What I see as a result is their suffocation, their desire to attain perfectionism and in turn, approval. My message is simple; It is your birth right to paint, to put color on paper. If you can hold a brush, you can do it.