This exercise is fascinating and for me has many twists and turns and recent new discoveries. Since studying Kentridge and working more in charcoal I feel really quite resolute and have adopted the stance that no work is considered as failure.
I’ve gone through many different feelings and emotions when creating work but as my drawing continues to improve so does my confidence and in this regard I believe I am less fearful about making a mistake. Using charcoal makes it easy to quickly rectify or make adjustments in the work with rubbing in and out with my trusty erasers. This transformation in my work also relates to working with paint and similarly, I am less fearful when I wash paint in or out. I do now probably take more risks with my work and most times these seem to work.
Lack of confidence and not being able to draw well often stopped me taking risks. I’m far more able to just go for it and not think about my decisions too much. In many ways I just let the images in my mind transfer to the hand an onto the paper.
Taking risks is really important as an element you might add or eliminate can often enrich the landscape or your intentions with a drawing. I’m really pleased I can do this and not dwell or worry about if things are not working out quite so well. The main thing is that you learn from pushing boundaries and work out a different improved strategy for a future work.
I will never forget the very first time I pushed the boundaries and it was a revelation in me understanding more about watercolour painting. I was working and had been involved in a difficult case throughout the day. I was attending an evening class and I was in two minds whether to go or not. When I got there I had a couldn’t care less attitude and just let the pot of emerging flowers run wild on the paper as there was lots of bleeding and I just went for it. I pulled and pushed the paint around the paper with large brushes and toned my flowers beautifully. They looked alive and quite dramatic. I couldn’t believe my success. This has always stayed with me and can still help me move forward today. My bad day turned into a feel good evening. I really learned how the colours could merge to great effect. Before this day I was fearful and too timid in my approach to the white paper.
Another occasion where I took a risk was on Painting 2. I used a hand whisk as a mechanical tool dipped in white emulsion. As I vigorously turned the handle the paint made such detailed intricate lines on a black matt board. It was like a spiders web. I plan to go back to this tool at some point and use coloured enamel paints.
My biggest challenge in the last year or so has been about being able to draw people and faces. I had many wooden looking people. These failures have helped show me the way forward and I now use broken line and use charcoal which has helped me enormously. I learned from Kentridge there is no bad drawing and I am always the optimist that things will always work out as they do for a reason. You must take risks and accept any chance for testing out something new. This is an integral part of my practice.
Reading Point
I read the text suggested and found it via a different link on the Tate website. The article is by Lisa Feuvre and Christy Lange’s essay Bound to Fail.
https://www.tate.org.uk/tate-etc/issue-18-spring-2010/if-first-you-dont-succeed-celebrate
The article really helps you consider the merits of pushing the boundaries in your work. I have already indicated in my previous statements that I learned from Kentridge that there is no bad drawing. In this regard I like what Feuvre says about failure below.
‘To talk of failure more recently, however, is not only to draw on melancholic radical doubt, but to embrace possibility in the gap between intention and realisation. There is a pleasure in failure, and its potential, too.‘
Accessed 10/11/23
I couldn’t help but smile at the two installation examples of Roman Signer’s work. A photo is below.
Roman Signer
Engpass at Aussendienst 2000
Installation, Hamburg
Dimensions variable
Courtesy the artist and Hauser and Wirth, Zurich © Roman Signer
Roman Signer
Engpass at Aussendienst 2000
Installation, Hamburg
Dimensions variable
Courtesy the artist and Hauser and Wirth, Zurich © Roman Signer
It is great to see some humor in art too. It is so important to keep pushing boundaries and to keep experimenting.
Endless Possibilities 