Saturday, February 9, 2008

They Knew What They Were Talking About...

Flowers for Lisa, work in progress
8in x 10in, colored pencils on vellum


Lately I've been rather discouraged with my work, I see more problems than successes I suppose. There are days when I think, I just don't know enough about CPs to make them really work. Then there are days when I think, I just don't know enough about color to do anything but monochromatic work. Then there are times when I think it's my drawing skills that are lacking. I'm sure that all three of these are true. But to actually admit that all three areas (and a few more that I can't even recognize yet) need work is more overwhelming than productive!

However, tonight, I read a great post by Vivien Blackburn, some of her favorite quotes. Go read her post, it's very good. I'll just put a few here that appealed to me.

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun. --
Pablo Picasso

A man paints with his brains and not with his hands. --Michelangelo

If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all. --Michelangelo

One must really love to paint, to be driven as it were, to put in the time necessary to really get proficient.... Many people would like to paint, but not enough to paint those endless failures necessary to get to the good work. If it were otherwise, we'd be overrun with painters. --William Whittaker

Picasso gives me the direction, I want to turn a yellow spot into the sun, and Whittaker and Michelangelo tell me how: work hard, think hard, and then keep hard at working and thinking.

3 comments:

Belinda Lindhardt said...

Your so right Rose, i was thinking something along the lines of Michelangelo's quote the other day as a response to people when they say "How do you find the time" it does take work and persistance. You will get there, dont be disheartened. You just need to keep GOING :) if you stop then you will never get anywhere the only way you will achieve your goals is to allow yourself to take the journey and you will discover the path along the way :)

Rose Welty said...

Thanks Belinda, I needed that. :-)

Kasie @ ~The Art of Life~ said...

(((Hugs!)))
You really are too hard on yourself Rose!
I know it's easy to say that, but I tend to be just as hard on myself.
It's that strange artist temperment: always wanting to get better and better (which is good) but it never allows us to be happy where we are (which is bad.)
Belinda is right. Keep going! :)