Creating art, like any other discipline, alternates between periods of happy labour and times of total discouragement. Sometimes my paintings mock me and with no little drama I am compelled to rip them off their stretcher bars and turf them in the garbage. I've leaned that it's during these psychological "root canals" that opportunity will usually present itself. It may be that when all I can paint is crap I am more willing to take risks or perhaps just persisting through the despair allows me to benefit from the creative cycle's natural rhythm.
I am currently reading "Faith &Doubt " by John Ortberg. He makes a great point when he says to allow doubt to sharpen your faith. Whatever your calling or passion is, when failure and despair rear their heads and threaten you with lies of futility keep pressing on and your vision will eventually clear.
I've posted one image of where my failures go and a couple of happier ones that were conceived in doubtful but tenacious persistence.
NOTE: I will be leading ten people through a two day plein air workshop September 18-19 . If you are interested in participating drop me an e-mail and I'll fill you in on particulars.
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