The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize.
— Robert Hughes, 1996
The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize. — Robert Hughes, 1996
It’s the sense of superiority and certainty that exceeds the bounds of confidence and talent.
Ryan Holiday • Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent
“Only the greatest art,” Murdoch noted, “invigorates without consoling.”
Robert Zaretsky • The Subversive Simone Weil: A Life in Five Ideas
“No one can see in the work of the artist how it has become,”
Angela Duckworth • Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
“The person who distrusts himself has no touchstone for reality.”
Austin Kleon • Keep Going
GALLERY REPRESENTATION, I quickly learned, is the main criterion for who counts as An Artist.
Nell Irvin Painter • Old In Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over
Much of art’s greatness is felt on a gut level. Your self-expression allows the audience to have their own self-expression. If your work speaks to them, it is of no consequence if you are heard and understood.
Rick Rubin • The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator of aspiration. It reflects love, love of something we dream of doing, and desire, desire to do it. If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), “Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?” chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The r
... See moreSteven Pressfield • The War of Art
Art and the artist both suffer most when the artist gets too heavy, too focused on results.