So MUCH EASIER...JUST TO GIVE UP...QUIT!

[LarrySeiler]

Over the years here at Wetcanvas the sharing of good quotes on just what it means to pursue excellence, or to be successful has been a popular topic.

I think...in lieu of the last session, "120 Paintings" this might be a good time and place to have a thread where artists come just come in, read and reflect. Muse a spell...

We all have those moments don't we, where we wonder if all our efforts are worth it? If we have what it takes?

But so many give up before finding out...

...and, if there's one thing I feel I know something about, its taking up something, working at it long and hard, seeing it thru...having my falls, dusting myself and getting back up.

So...with that...if you have some good quotes, a little story, please share...and if you know the author or person credited, be good to put that in there as well.

I'll start with one thing I wanted to shared in the "120 Paintings" but time ran out, and I'll likely share it in the next..

Shizuka Arakawa, Japan's woman's Gold Medal figure skater...
...apparently to win gold medal, she had 19 years of training. Falling is considered routine, pushing oneself to learn and perfect the most difficult jumps. Calculations figure Shizukawa's bum...or derrier hit the hard ice 20,000 times to win that gold!

So...why should excellence in painting require anything less??

Also from my session-

- "Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm!"

- "Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do!"

"Winners lose more than losers. They win and lose more than losers, because they stay in the game. "
"No man is ever whipped until he quits - in his own mind."
~ Napoleon Hill

"Failure doesn't mean you are a failure...it just means you haven't succeeded yet. "


"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."


I used to share a little story about the two assistants of Thomas Edison that came to him after 700 failed experiments creating this thing called a light bulb...resigned to give up, saying they had failed. Edison responded, "we haven't failed, in fact...we now know 700 ways NOT TO DO IT!"

Imagine if the assistants had convinced Edison this light bulb thing was't going to pan out!!!

[Chrisp47]

The greatest obstacle to most people isn't skill, it's attitude. (Harley Brown)

[pastelmimigt]

Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.

~Dale Carnegie

[LarrySeiler]

The greatest obstacle to most people isn't skill, it's attitude. (Harley Brown)

wow.....yes, and so so true. One learns this quickly teaching high school art. If students are convinced, if parents have affirmed no one of artistic talent runs in their family...so so very hard to see effort applied in a positive way.

I do have one girl, a senior...quite convinced she could do nothing well in art. Avoiding art the last couple years. She just finished an amazing scratchboard of a close up of horse's head.

Not only acting as cheerleader for her, but the stern adult "don't give me that garbage excuse!" thing as well...

Now...she has proved to herself she can do something. She loves the piece.

Our job so often in high school is to take emotionally often crippled scarred spirits, neglected...an edge, fearful...and help them discover hope. Cultivate faith...perhaps even get mad and outright angry they've been accepting the short end of the stick far too long!

Then...I find many adults that are yet tragically, there...

Many folks wonder, knowing my very well known award winning illustrator artist son, Jason...how much art I exposed him to, taught and so forth. I taught Jason a couple things, one...a work ethic. He saw me working around the clock...burning the midnight oil, (which I still do)...drinking coffee and thru til the morning to finish a work for exhibition. Secondly...he and his brother were constantly bathed with encouragement. The faith of my wife and I always brought home, (those that understand will know when I simply say...) "I can do all things thru _________ who strengthens me!"

I work every day with kids that do not believe in themselves. Doubt everything, see nothing worthy, no wanting so badly so as to suffer for it, except where it brings a dose of instant attention...instant gratification...but our world with its quick affirmation simply for trying supplies that, and leaves them short of discovering their potential. For me...very sad...

[ginib]

"Our job so often in high school is to take emotionally often crippled scarred spirits, neglected...an edge, fearful...and help them discover hope. Cultivate faith...perhaps even get mad and outright angry they've been accepting the short end of the stick far too long!"

As you very sad, but the reward is being part of even one life when they step into the world of hope. Some will go on to find that hope later as that little seed people like you plant does eventually sprout. Keep the faith!

As to a quote, there's one line from the movie All That Jazz that has stuck with me. Working with a so-so dancer, the Fosse-ish character after totally devastating her has a moment of compassion and says to her privately, "I can't make you a great dancer, but I can make you a better dancer."

[Sonni]

I keep thinking of WD40 :D . And then add another O. Also, I can't afford to quit. There's too much $$ invested. I used to lead backpack trips and was kidded a lot because I owned 5 tents (won't go into how much other stuff...). Now the same people are kidding me about easels--2 studio, 2 portable and one of those large outdoor beauport or something easels (never used), plus a Julian on wheels at a friend's house in Santa Fe with a set of paints, and two easels in Mexico with all the necessary stuff to paint with and on. I won't mention how many pastels .... Give up? How would I justify it? Someday I'd like to try encaustic....:eek: .

The thing is, I'm getting older and have time on my hands. How do I want to spend the remaining years? In front of a TV? Shot that thing 15 years ago.

Harley Brown is one of my favorite people. He's right on about attitude!

[Srishti]

“If you hear a voice within you saying, ''You are not a painter,'' then by all means paint… and that voice will be silenced.” -Vincent van Gogh

[Dharma_bum]

A few from my collection...

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try"
-Beverly Sills-

"If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down."
-Mary Pickford-

"Success isn't permanent, and failure isn't fatal."
Attributed to Mike Ditka, but I've seen it attributed to another whose name escapes me, as well.

"You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try and forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space." -Johnny Cash-

"Our doubts are traitors
And make us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt." -Wm Shakespeare-

"I'm a great believer in luck, an find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
-Thomas Jefferson-

and finally one of my absolute favorites, though not so much about failure as inspiration...

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood, and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather, teach them to long for the endless expanse of the sea." -Antoine de Saint-Exupery-

Dan

[Judibelle]

"Rome wasn't built in a day"

[LarrySeiler]

these are all some very good quotes everyone!!!! Good job..

my favorite thus far is the one from Thomas Jefferson...Dan,
"I'm a great believer in luck, an find the harder I work, the more I have of it."

[Sonni]

Harley Brown from "Inspiration for Every Artist."

CARPE DIEM
If each day doesn't bring you something that lifts you or adds greatly to your thinking, you're not paying attention.

SEEK THE TRUTH
The more you draw and paint, the more you'll get past the obvious and find immediate truth with your pencil and brush.

TAKE YOUR TIME
Remember you don't need everything right now. Stretch it out and enjoy yurself. Don't forget, art is a lifetime contract.

FRESH AIR
When we take ourselves too seriously, we close down openings that bring in much needed fresh air.

ADVANTAGES OF BEING AN ARTIST
There is no forced retirement
The studio can be 20 feet from the bed
The world is literally our stage

SPEED IS NOT THE KEY
Some artists develop faster than others with most of us in the middle. Fast or slow means little to the epic journey.

UNDERSTANDING COLOR
If the value isn't right, then the color isn't right.

DON'T WASTE TIME
Think of all those paintings that won't be done because of wasted time. Good intentions never produced art.

BATTLE STATIONS
The minute I walk up to my easel, I'm a gunslinger ready to draw.

[Sonni]

A friend sent this story to me. I thought it relevant

On my way home one day, I stopped to
> watch a Little League baseball game that was being played in a
> park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-
> base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was
> 'We're behind 14 to nothing,' he answered
> With a smile.
> 'Really,' I said. 'I have to say you
> don't look very discouraged.'
> 'Discouraged?', the boy asked with a
> Puzzled look on his face...
> 'Why should we be discouraged? We haven't
> Been up to bat yet.'

[makinart]

There are some good quips and thoughts going on here.

The beauty about my mind at an earlier age just after art college was that I wasn't a profound or deep thinker........regarding, "Now, what do I do?!"
I really never thought too much beyond each day.

At parties, we mostly talked about such as: who's the best drummer for Dave Brubeck or what tavern we were going make a few dollars with portrait sketches. Art? We did art but didn't talk a whole bunch about it. Yes, on our own, we'd pour through the books and talk briefly about "so n' so's" new works.

I can't speak on behalf of the others but my mind was made up like an iron brick. That made life easier. Surviving meant make art...sell art. My prices were so low that I'm sure a few people bought my paintings just to humor me or get rid of me. But don't forget in those days "hamburger helper" was just 15 cents a package.

The thing is with us young ones then was that we didn't have much of life's wisdom. And what we had was gleaned from books and the older "wise individuals."

It was years later that mentors straightened me out and my self possessed fanaticism was replaced by learning, studying, developing and finding, (fortunately) some of the best artists in the U.S. to teach me.

At the same time, I had students who started art at an older age and some of them were fantastic. One lady was about 40 years old and it looked like she had drawn since childhood. I asked her how long she had been drawing and she said "oh, about three years." She explained how: she decided to quit everything after getting enough money together and start with the best art colleges and mentors. And she worked all day every day. Draw, draw, draw. By the time she got to my class, her work was fluid and extremely observant. Her skills were, and are, in the very high level. She immediately killed my old theory that we have to start at a young age. A valuable lesson to me.

With talent, we're all here mostly in the same skill range. It's a matter of how and where we take it.
-Harley-

[robertsloan2]

I love the 120 Paintings concept. I didn't manage to attend that week but the idea is wonderful. A few years ago I joined an LJ group that does daily art in October. That proved two things to me.

One: I actually could keep up daily art when I made it a priority, even if some days it was nothing more than a sketch.

Two: when I do, my art improves overall at a ferocious pace.

When I have a sick day, I do something toward it and don't expect good results. It doesn't matter. It helps maintain the habit and that makes it easier when I've got a good day to soar and paint for hours longer because the painting is worth it.

I also learn from my botches. Sometimes even if I don't like it at all, something about it will come out interesting and I'll have a better idea of how to create that effect on purpose in a context where it works. I've got a botched tree up in the Johannes Vloothuis forum posted for critique, because someone who's more used to fixing errors and making changes may have a good idea on how to turn a botch into something that sings.

Sometimes I'll think it's a botch right up to the finish and the last stroke transforms it.

That doesn't matter. It's better to do it, fall down and turn the falls into floor moves than to stop.

[Amandine]

It's better to do it, fall down and turn the falls into floor moves than to stop.

You're so right, Robert. :thumbsup:
I've been painting on and off over a decade now, sometimes for 5-6 months and then had (not my choice) to stop for 3-4 years, started over for a year, stopped again for a long period. But always came back to my brushes. :)
After having been trying over and over, I know there's only one way to learn painting : paint ! do it ! That's what I've been doing for the last 2 years ... and keep doing it ...

[LarrySeiler]

With talent, we're all here mostly in the same skill range. It's a matter of how and where we take it.
-Harley-


sometimes I wish, like Facebook...we just had a "like" button. Nothing to add, except I really enjoyed your post!!! :thumbsup:

[LarrySeiler]

Two: when I do, my art improves overall at a ferocious pace.



should be encouraging to know so many look forward to your notes.

I made the suggestion, and I believe it will happen...that my own study notes and outlines will be made available that I submit to F&W when the archived recorded sessions are readied.

I like this thought of yours especially.

I appreciate artists that take my workshops...certainly enjoy travel, making new friends, but I have seen those (and few to be honest) that believe taking a workshop will suddenly cause their work to be marketable and go flying off the easel faster than they can keep up.

A workshop...teaching, webinars, books are all quite helpful, providing valuable information...life changing directions...but the real impetus for change then comes from hard work. I like how Edgar Payne puts it, "mix brains with paint!"

...and to cause all that noted, learned, important information to bear fruit one has to work and work ferociously! As you note...seeing this exercise as time in the weight room for painting, I don't think it will come any faster way than such...

:thumbsup:

[Sonni]

Thanks for dropping by, Harley!

[makinart]

Thank you Sonni,
You're a driving force that doesn't understand slowing down. And an inspiration to your students.

I have constantly told my students, (when I did workshops,) to not think in terms of success or failure; just think that each day is a special gift and make it important in art. Big or not so big.

I've done okay in my art, but, wow, I have friends who have really taken the idea of "not quitting" to the limit.

One fellow got obsessed in things plastic, (like from the film "The Graduate,") and now makes straws.......for a major Drive Through franchise.

I remember starting 40 years ago with my main art dealer. He was just out of college, existing day by day. Now is he absolutely one of the major gallery owners in the United States.

A Golden Age film star who started off drawing as a gifted artist. She found herself on the silver screen as an icon.

And money is not the criteria. Comfortable may be a better word. I know people who make belt buckles, each carved by hand; some great saddle makers; a custom boot maker who has orders several years ahead.

Actually, in my case, I found it "easier" to keep going. Easier on the mind and attitude of life. When I don't draw or paint for a few days, I fall into a hole. So maybe that's the "secret:" when we understand that it is much more positive on our spirits to go with our dreams.
-Harley-

[Sonni]

When I don't draw or paint for a few days, I fall into a hole. So maybe that's the "secret:" when we understand that it is much more positive on our spirits to go with our dreams. .

I am finding this to be true. It's like a compulsion. The dishes will sit in the sink and the washing won't get on the line because I have got to have my "fix." Now.

Larry (whose online workshop this is) has prodded me with this 120 bad paintings idea where fewer strokes are more, to spend an hour a day painting something small from life. Now when I get up in the morning, make tea or coffee, I start fiddling with paint. If this is the only thing I get out of this workshop, I'm a happy camper. So far, I've had good and bad results. Time will tell, how good I'll get, and how far I can go. Can't wait to get there, but continually remind myself --it's the process that counts!