I was looking for a new quote to include on my blog today. While looking in the index of subject matter for quotes, on my favorite source for quotes, I spotted the subject “accomplishments”. Ahhh! “There’s a noble word, I thought…that would be a good, uplifting subject for my next art quote!!” But my eyes strayed all too easily….to the word just above the noble term…to “accidents”…ewwww!!…now that could be interesting! Now I started to argue with myself… “really, I should stick with the positive…the more enlightening subject matter!!…but “accidents” could be very exciting, altho’ a little negative…it could actually be fun…No, Nina, don’t give in…go the high road!…but, but ….”
Guess which one won out…you guessed it…”accidents”! (I wonder if there is a catagory for ornery!)
Of course, I found a quote in the forbidden catagory which tickled my artist’s heart! It is from Jasper Johns, an artist who became well known back in the 50’s for his pop art. Well, here it is…
” I have meant what I have done. Or – I have often meant what I have done. Or – I have sometimes meant what I have done. Or – I have tried to mean what I was doing.” (Jasper Johns)
I laughed so hard when I read this…quotes often seem to be for the intellect…or perhaps to prop up us creatives when we are going “thru the desert”…rarely, do they say something really significant which makes us have a good laugh, too! Being an experimental artist, I can relate! All too often I have started a painting with an image in mind…only to find the paint has a mind of its own. Or the brush goes this way instead of that. Or…OMG! What’s that big spot of green doing in my sky?!! Art for me is an ongoing challenge, a quest for the next new discovery, a journey in excitement, hopeful for excellence, always stretching and trying new things to come to a conclusion which speaks to my spirit, and hopefully to others’ as well…
thanks for reading my blog!
