Shalom's Cottage Home Blog

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Rock Island, IL, United States
Hi, I'm Shalom. Artist, crafter, gardener, flea market enthusiast, bargain hunter, and lover of flavor. Welcome to my journey! shalomschultzdesigns@gmail.com

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Saturday, March 29, 2008

When A Project Goes Bad


"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?", Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Truly, sometimes the best response to any of life's less-than-stellar moments (or in this case, accomplishments) is to laugh, thereby gaining the most useful thing we can out of it, since laughter is good for us.

I took up this project several months ago when I thought I'd like to try my hand at collage (I'm the kind of person who can't resist chasing every rabbit off the beaten path). I had a "vision" of sorts in my head, then I roughly sketched out a design and then I just started cutting and pasting and painting, thinking the piece would take form "naturally". But I didn't like how it looked finished the first time, or the second, or the third....And finally, I just rinsed my brushes out, let the piece dry and decided that "collage" is not for me. Not even for fun - so much do I hate this piece that I have created. It doesn't matter how long I have it turned against the wall, hoping that the next time I look at it with "fresh eyes" I will have a better appreciation for it. It is simply, without a doubt, the ugliest piece of art I have ever created and now there is nothing more I can do with it, but to laugh at myself and let a few others laugh at it as well. Now, I suppose, compared to something a pre-schooler might put together, it is relatively good, but it is just not good enough for me. I didn't even enjoy the process - I was frustrated the entire time. Lesson learned. Back to the beaten path for me - it is long enough and I will probably enjoy myself much more, if I just admire the scenery along the way, instead of getting lost in it.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your blog has got me thinking! I think you must be doing something right... ;-) I love this post. I have many "Frankenstein" projects myself. My niece has inherited all of my sub-par beads...and she loves them. She's 7. Although, I didn't think your project really went bad. I thought it was cute until you said it was a project gone bad...it's so funny how art is so subjective.

I love your digital art. I have a friend who is a graphic artist. She's quite busy! I gathered more appreciation for her work and your art from just my little bit of effort working on my logos, business cards, avatar, etc. 8-12 hours of work for only a so-so result...what's in my head still doesn't quite match the actual result. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the truly white background. http://www.jenniferborek.com/2007/11/creating-my-brand-updating-my-logo.html

I have your blog bookmarked. ;-)

Unknown said...

that's so funny- at first glance, i really liked it! then i read that you thought it was the ugliest piece of art you'd ever made, and then my perception of the piece was affected. it got me thinking about how we perceive good and bad, ugly and beautiful, and if it has much to do with knowing others' opinions beforehand, if that makes any sense! one thing a professor always told me in college was 'you have to be willing to make the bad art in order to make the good art.' it's all part of the process! when i remember that, then it's fun again, instead of discouraging and awful. :)