Miscellaneous Art Stuff

Today's post is a bit scattered. I didn't really have a finished project to blog about, so I rounded up some random stuff from a couple different projects.

I did this quote for my lovely mother-in-law's birthday and while I'm happy with how some of it turned out (like the little flowers and vines on either side), there are some things I'd change if I took a second pass at it. 

Then there are these orchid drawing/painting/study things. Orchids were harder to draw than I expected. :-/ 

And finally, I have these Fennec fox doodles for an illustration I want to do soon. I still haven't figured out how best to simplify and stylize them yet. 

To be honest, none of this stuff is really my "best work". Some of it didn't turn out like I'd hoped and some of it just isn't finished. All of it came up short. 

In some ways, coming up short is almost worse than failing epically. When your failure is undeniably spectacular, you're almost forced to laugh at it and move on so you don't get pulled into a crushing cycle of despair and hopelessness. And then there's all those quotes by famous people about how failing is good for you, ect. (Personally, I wish there were more quotes by famous people who said “Yeah, failing stinks. I get it.) But when you don't fail epically, when all your efforts are almost, but not quite, something you can be proud of, that's when it's hard. Then, your work is simply mediocre, lukewarm, and forgettable. And, even if other people think what you did was good, you still have to a gnawing sense of disappointment in yourself. 

But the truth is, some days are just mediocre. That's a part of the art making process. And when those days come, it's just as important to show up and try our best as it is on the days when life is wonderful. Maybe even more so.

So, even though today wasn't my best day, I'm determined to show up and keep trying. Because eventually, all that trying, all that mediocrity will add up to something good and make the slow, tedious journey 100% worth while.

onward and upward,

Bethany