Just Perfect

Back when I was a student I had a drawing instructor who gave us a very unique assignment at the end of the semester. We were told to do our very best drawing. We were also told to do the very best presentation that we could (mat, frame, etc.). For the final class we were going to meet out at the beach, build a bonfire, have food and drink, and have a critique. Cheap wine has a way of making critiques less intimidating. After all was said and done, the instructor told us to toss our drawings into the bonfire.

Of course this horrified most of the students. He finally told us that the point he was trying to make was that no matter how good we thought we were, how perfect we thought the drawing was, as students we still had a long way to go. If we couldn’t let go of what we thought was some of our best work then we really wouldn’t be able to grow and move ahead. I was one of a handful of students who tossed our work into the fire and I have never forgotten that lesson.

So, is there any such a thing as a perfect work of art? Is there any such a thing as perfection? What is the definition of perfection? I’m sure that this varies from person to person. One of the best definitions that I’ve heard was by one of my favorite writers, Thomas Merton. Merton was both a writer and a Trappist monk. I was listening to some audiotapes that were made when he was teaching classes for the novice monks and the subject of perfection came up. In the Judeo-Christian bible, Merton pointed out, the author of the book of Genesis tells us that God calls to Abraham and says, “Come walk with me and be perfect.” Using the act of walking as a metaphor for perfection. What an interesting idea.

What is walking? It is purposely throwing myself off balance and when I start to fall forward I stop myself and balance again. I do this over and over and it moves me forward. This metaphor of walking tells me that perfection is about being off balance repeatedly and constantly moving forward. Perfection is not static; it is not a goal that can be achieved. Rather it is an act of doing, it is active not passive.

So much of this is true for being an artist. As an artist I want and need to keep pushing myself. I need to keep going forward. For anything to truly be alive, it needs to keep growing and changing. All living things need to keep evolving otherwise they just become some dusty museum piece. And with this evolving comes change and new ways of seeing the world around me, to have new ways of understanding. Of course, this means that I must develop new ways to respond. Life is not static or predictable, it is always moving and changing and more frequently than not this is a messy process. As I move forward old ways and definitions no longer apply. I need to reinterpret my world. Answers that were once safe and used to work are now irrelevant. There is no safety net. I may fail miserably or I may have fantastic success. Either way is fine because it is about the process and the process gives life. As I move forward in life I approach perfection. As I approach perfection I approach truth, and as I approach truth I approach God.

The above painting is titled "Orchard Trees In A Row" and was completed yesterday. It measures 15" X 18.75". This piece is done on sealed and primed paper. It was blocked in using oil paint and overlayed with oil pastels.