Saturday 28 November 2015

Thoughts this morning as I read Timothy Keller's book Every Good Endeavor as he talks about J.R.R. Tolkien's less know writing called Leaf by Niggle. Note to find a copy and read. It is about an artist nearing the end of his life and ambitiously starts a massive painting only to paint one leaf.


"Everyone wants to be successful rather than forgotten, and everyone wants to make a difference in this life. But that is beyond the control of any of us."


Why is it so hard to accept this truth that so much of what I desire in art is completely out of my control and dependent on others. Some days I am so happy just having time to create but other days the human desire to achieve a small amount of success and apppreciation rears its head and takes away the joy of the process.


Also thought about the new Special K commercial that states almost every woman has a body hate moment every day. I would like to use the same wisdom to battle art discouragement. What if we ignored those things beyond our control, focused on the things we can change and just told that voice to "shut up". Like that a LOT.


Final quote taken from an OPUS newsletter. "If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent van Gogh. Was that before or after he cut off his ear?

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