ARTIST'S BLOCK
JUST FINISH IT ALREADY AND MOVE ON!
In 2010 I was a junior in college, struggling with what I wanted to paint and express as an artist. It can be the hardest thing, to be an artist and wanting to be creative but not having any idea which direction to go.
And so I found myself in just such a predicament in the summer of 2010. I was in art school. I was artistic. I should be able to paint, right? I mean, I moved across the great state of Texas (that's no small move) with 3 kids to do the irresponsible thing and be an art major. Good grief. No, I'm not crazy.
I did these self portraits. Or at least I started them.
They sat unfinished for 4 years. They were carelessly moved around like too much junk and could have been damaged beyond repair because I doubted myself. I doubted their greatness. I feared being judged on their meaning. I feared people would judge me because, after all they are "selfies".
We artists are our own worst critics. I don't paint in this style anymore. I abandoned it before it even got momentum to become something great. I left faces unfinished and and birds unpainted.
I took me 4 years to realize that they are beautiful. This past week I took them, carefully cleaned the dust off, and did what I previously found so hard to do. I finished them. And it was easy! They my not be masterpieces but they are unique, one of a kind creations from me.
They are beautifully imperfect.
In 2010 I was a junior in college, struggling with what I wanted to paint and express as an artist. It can be the hardest thing, to be an artist and wanting to be creative but not having any idea which direction to go.
And so I found myself in just such a predicament in the summer of 2010. I was in art school. I was artistic. I should be able to paint, right? I mean, I moved across the great state of Texas (that's no small move) with 3 kids to do the irresponsible thing and be an art major. Good grief. No, I'm not crazy.
I did these self portraits. Or at least I started them.
They sat unfinished for 4 years. They were carelessly moved around like too much junk and could have been damaged beyond repair because I doubted myself. I doubted their greatness. I feared being judged on their meaning. I feared people would judge me because, after all they are "selfies".
We artists are our own worst critics. I don't paint in this style anymore. I abandoned it before it even got momentum to become something great. I left faces unfinished and and birds unpainted.
I took me 4 years to realize that they are beautiful. This past week I took them, carefully cleaned the dust off, and did what I previously found so hard to do. I finished them. And it was easy! They my not be masterpieces but they are unique, one of a kind creations from me.
They are beautifully imperfect.
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