Not that this EVER happens to me. But what’s a (wo)man to do when faced with difficulties in the studio? Suggestions:
- Check email
- Update your website (surely there’s something that needs doing!)
- Post to your blog
- Check email again
- Email (or better yet, call) a gallery dealer: “Howz things??” (and hey, it counts as work!)
- Take the dogs for a walk
- Split wood
- Pour a large drink and do a crossword puzzle
- Check email again
- Clean the studio (hey, at least you’re in there! and god knows there’s dog hair everywhere…)
When you’ve run through all of these options and the painting STILL isn’t working and you’ve decided you’re the worst artist on the planet and how the hell did you ever think you could make your living at this anyway fergawdsakes, you have a couple more options:
- Pull out a book on a REAL artist who actually who knew how to paint…and study it
- Sketch some new painting ideas
- Slather all that paint on your palette onto a piece of Yupo, or even onto that painting that isn’t working (no sense letting good paint go to waste, at least!)
If any of these suggestions work, tell me so I know what to do next time. Not that this ever happens to me.
Tags: art humor, artist angst
Entries (RSS)
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Hey Julie,
I have a deal with another artist/friend that I can call her anytime when I feel like I totally suck and am totally fooling myself that I can paint — and she will talk me down. (Or is it up?) And I do the same for her. It’s really great to have someone who knows exactly how you are feeling.
I also prime a lot of canvas when things are not working. You wouldn’t believe the stacks I have in my studio!
Be well,
Rosemary
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Here’s something (two things actually) I have always wondered about.
Why is it that those who are the best often think they suck while those who actually do suck often think they are the best?
How is it that those who actually do suck so often manage to get others to go along with their fantasy that they are the best?
March 24th, 2008 at 5:25 am
I have done just about everything on your list except split wood. I muck stalls though. I am in a rough spot myself right now. Just can not get it right. It really is painful. And most people do not understand.
We have had over 100 inches of snow here and even though I enjoy winter, I need spring.
Just for the record, your work is amazing. I have never seen anyone paint white the way you do.
March 24th, 2008 at 11:16 am
i think I just found the answer to my own question above:
Apparently, someone has done some research into what I referred to above:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/01/18/MN73840.DTL
So, there you have it. Incompetent people think they are great and competent people think they (themselves) suck.
No wonder things are in such a mess.
March 24th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Rosemary, I think your arrangement is an EXCELLENT one - every artist needs at least one art buddy who understands the highs, lows, trials, and tribulations of this passion that has chosen us. Plus, we always need prepped canvases ready to go if an idea strikes us hot!
Suzanne, spring is coming - really - although it’s hard to see when there are 100 inches of snow! wow. In that rough spot, just remember winning Paint America. Every now and then I’ll look at that big check facsimile Arts for the Parks gave me - it’s up on the wall here in my studio - and think, yeah, maybe I’m OK.
Larry, this quote you gave us is fascinating! OK, I’m going to have to do more research here - mainly because I struggle sometimes with artists who don’t see where there are issues with their drawing or painting. I gots to know if it’s possible to help them! I was noodling on your original comment during my midday run today and thought perhaps the lack of confidence comes in when we set growth challenges for ourselves - which, since they are challenges, don’t always work. This leads me to a whole ‘nother future blog post (comfort vs challenge). And I could say lots, lots more about your final comment - “no wonder things are in such a mess” - relating to our current government. But I won’t. Plenty of blogs already dealing with that!
March 25th, 2008 at 8:06 am
poor you.
All I have is the rejection letters that Art For the parks sent me — which I enlarged and now display proudly on the living room wall, of course (right next to my losing lottery tickets and my college diploma, a worthless piece of paper if ever there was one)
I won’t say just how many, but suffice it to say that I could have drowned my sorrows in a lot of beer and wine with the money I spent on entry fees. The worst part was that when I needed that beer and wine most — after i got the rejection letters — I had no money left because i had just spent all my savings on entry fees!
I really should try “Paint America” because i still have some open space over the fire place…
March 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Actually, at the moment I’m procrastinating by visiting your blog :-). But that’s after beating my brains in all day painting and repainting and repainting an elk’s head. Darn, those 3/4 views are tricky ’cause you know the photo flattens things. But, ta da, I remember our exercise in “unpacking” so maybe all is not lost. Tomorrow morning the mirror will tell the tale.
Very, very interesting info., Larry. I’ve wondered also about the competence/agony vs. imcompetence/confidence issue. What you found makes sense to me too. It seems that every artist I know who never seems to struggle and is always happy with their work does truly awful stuff and the killer is that there is no point in saying anything, because they won’t/can’t SEE. Sounds like it’s “can’t”.
Ok, enough. Time to, uh, clean up the palette and make a couple of phone calls. That ought to just about get me to quitin’ time.
March 25th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
So glad I could help everyone out with all my great suggestions. Palette-cleaning is another good one, though usually I do that at the start of a new piece. Visiting a blog is a good idea too, ’specially if it’s mine.
I did happen to wonder if maybe the ‘blissfully ignorant’ artists are that way because:
- all their lives their family & friends have told them how good they are cuz they can do a little more than draw stick figures, and
- they’ve never compared their work to a great artist’s (like Schmid, Kuhn, etc.)
Inquiring minds would really, really love to know.
Best solution I’ve found: get back on the horse. Throw away the bad thing (I hate like hell to keep working on something that ain’t working) and start fresh on the next idea in your sketchbook. Last week I sucked. This week I’m actually pleased. Such is the artist’s life.
March 26th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Palette-cleaning is another good one”
I have found that ‘palate-cleaning” works as well — especially the wine that accompanies it.