22. Struggle

According to Webster’s, to struggle is to resist opposition, to progress with effort or difficulty.  Most artists struggle on a daily basis, resisting opinions, criticism, negativity  [jealousy], trends, advice, etc.  Artists constantly struggle between time, materials, learning their subject, finding their voice, new directions, the next level, an alternative path.

 Art is a struggle; art is a process.  Art takes time to learn, to create, to appreciate.  Creating art is not like making a cup o’ soup, or maybe it is, if you have the eyes and talent of Warhol, Hockney, or Picasso.  Most of us have to work at it, and work hard, employing a disciplined work ethic, commitments, and goals.  Some say if you do not have a struggle within you or around you, you have to make one.  Create some chaos, put yourself at risk.

It is important to enjoy the struggle, the time spent, the journey.  The actual end result can sometimes be disappointing not because we are dissatisfied with the achievement, but because “it”[the process] is over.  What it took to get to the end result is often more important, more rewarding than the final art piece itself.  You do not dance to see where you end, you dance to enjoy the dance.  So, listen to the music and enjoy the struggle to find your art.

“Making good work is supposed to be hard.  It requires learning your craft and working harder than anybody who isn’t a photographer/artist can possibly imagine.”  Keith Carter

 “Complacency in art breeds nothing but redundancy.”    Ken Merfeld