I often say you can have imperfect community or no community, but perfect community is not at option. I’ve been going to the same church for more than 30 years so I’ve had ample opportunity to practice being a part of imperfect community. Sometimes it is no fun at all. But other times, something happens at church that makes my heart soar, causing all the frustrations and disappointments to be worth it.
As I embark on a career as an artist it strikes me that the same principle is at work in art. You can make imperfect art or no art, but perfect art isn’t an option. As soon as I had that realization, I understood that it’s true for all human endeavors: you an be an imperfect parent or no parent, but perfect parenting isn’t an option. Nor is perfect cooking, cleaning, teaching, building, loving, meditating...the list goes on and on.
I find this notion very freeing. Perfection is not an option so I don’t concern myself with it. I don’t have to do things ‘right’. I just have to do things and then see what parts of it come out right. I act, I notice, I reflect, and I revise. Not a bad system for making art...or a life.
As I embark on a career as an artist it strikes me that the same principle is at work in art. You can make imperfect art or no art, but perfect art isn’t an option. As soon as I had that realization, I understood that it’s true for all human endeavors: you an be an imperfect parent or no parent, but perfect parenting isn’t an option. Nor is perfect cooking, cleaning, teaching, building, loving, meditating...the list goes on and on.
I find this notion very freeing. Perfection is not an option so I don’t concern myself with it. I don’t have to do things ‘right’. I just have to do things and then see what parts of it come out right. I act, I notice, I reflect, and I revise. Not a bad system for making art...or a life.
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