Need encouragement?

In the April 23, 2014 issue of the Wall Street Journal, artist and writer Peter Plagens reviewed an exhibit titled "Converging Lines: Eva Hesse and Sol LeWitt". The exhibit is presented by the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas.

The two artists had a close friendship and were mutually supportive. They wrote letters to each other, and in one letter from LeWitt to Hesse in 1965 he addressed the feelings that all artists have of questioning themselves, their art and comparing their art to others. One section that Plagens addresses, could be made into a poster to put on any artist's walls about the necessity of just doing the work.

Plagen's quotes from LeWitt's letter:

"Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, numbling rumbling, gambling, tumbling, scumgling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning, groaning...Stop it and just DO!"

If we could keep this paragraph in front of us all the time, perhaps it would help to keep those demons away. Eva Hesse only lived to be 34, and died of a brain tumor, after 10 years of creating art. This is another good reminder of why it is important to work hard - we're younger today than we will be tomorrow!