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August 19, 2005

Risking failure

"Any artist worthy of the name, takes risks, and when you take risks you often fail"
Tom Robbins

Alan Sugar, of Amstrad, told us that out of a hundred ideas 40 would fail, but so long as 60 succeeded that was ok. You can’t learn to ski without falling over. And we all know about omelettes.

It’s important to take risks in art. Though because painting is a lengthy business, undertaken by one person, failing is an expensive, time consuming affair, doing little for self-esteem and confidence.

No one can expect good paintings all the time. But a modicum of success is encouraging. The paradox is unless you take risks and push your ideas as far as you can the chances of success are limited, but by taking risks you increase the failure rate too. So the temptation is to go for the cosy-easy life of low risk, little failure and little success.

Don’t be tempted, break some eggs.

Posted by john at August 19, 2005 12:37 AM

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