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Writer's pictureTim Ellmers, Artist

Trying to Enjoy the Journey NOT the Destination!


Tomatoes Study (take 1); 8 x 10 in, oil on canvas

Well, I got an 'epic fail' painting on my hands. I really had a hard time focusing on what I was seeing verse what I wanted to see. This is the result, some ugly tomatoes. Carol Marine told me this would happen. All artists struggle with it from time to time. I am NOT happy with this one; however, I am going to try this same painting again tomorrow but attack it differently. Tomatoes aren't red and they definitely aren't orange...what colors are they really? I'll call this "a study" because that is exactly what it really is, just practice in trying to get it right.


I read a blog today during my lunch break and it focused on how some artists feel other artists have it easy and everything comes easy to them. Though every artist is different you can bet they had failure paintings as well. Some so bad they wanted to have a party and just burn them on the fire! They just don't talk about them. The theme of the blog article communicated to enjoy the journey you take and how you get to where you want to go rather than just getting to the destination. Though the destination may be nice and exciting, it won't mean anything to you without some suffering and failures to get there. I haven't painted in over 15 years, I can't expect to be great overnight. I knew there were going to be struggles, but this is just awful. Did I paint apples again? Consider this just take 1 of many until I feel I got it right. So until tomorrow, enjoy my failure!


Here is the quote from the article that I read today:


Every artist's journey is going to be different. It isn't wrong to have success come easy. But it is just possible that it robs an artist of the incredible adventure and growth that happens when the journey is hazardous. Failures faced making successes all the sweeter. And if you let failure toughen your resolve, then you are embracing the adventure of living the artist's life with all the dangers and difficulties it presents. - Anonymous
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