When I teach a class often nothing goes as planned. Very rarely do things always go as I thought they would so thinking on the fly is a must for me. I mess up at times because I am human. I am not perfect so I don’t think everything will go perfectly. I always have a basic plan in mind but veering off the track is what I love most about teaching Art and Zentangle!
I read a saying “Done is better than perfect.” As a former perfectionist type of person, I can relate to that saying. It is sometimes easier to make excuses to not do something especially at the risk of failure but doing nothing is worse, in my opinion.
I once painted a huge crest at the former Canadian Parachute Centre in Trenton, ON up high on the wall. Up close I could see the small white gaps in the black outline of the crest but from far away looking from the floor those little white gaps were not visible at all. My plan was to go back up on the skyjack and fix those little gaps but I never got the chance. It is a good thing because although I think about that painting often it doesn’t bother me like it once did. It reminds me to let go of perfectionism, the killer of joy. I am proud of the artwork I created for CPC.
We often compare ourselves to others or our art to the art others create. This is also the killer of joy because we are all individuals so we need to be true to our journey in art and in life. Our artistic journey will always be different than other artists because there is absolutely no way we can copy any art exactly. Each artist has an individual style whether they realize it or not, it is there waiting to be revealed.
Artists often tell me they don’t have a style but when I view their art I do see their wonderful style! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We tend to forget that when we are creating. When our art does not meet our personal standards we can be disappointed with the results.
I encourage you to look at your less than perfect art as a learning experience. When has everything gone perfectly in your life? That is exactly the point, we all face challenges everyday. The choice becomes what will we do with our life? We tend to focus on the “bad” art over the hundreds of pieces of really great art we created. Just let that bad art serve as a reminder that even the best artists can make some less than stellar art and move on.
Not everything has to be perfect. Sometimes the art that you think you don’t like turns into art you love. That is the beauty of creating. Enjoy your journey because it will be very different than anyone else’s.
ART FOR SURVIVAL Means Navigating Your Artistic Journey Your Way, Every Day!