Authenticity and the search for perfection

In recent weeks I have been feeling very lost and distracted from my practice. My students and my garden have taken priority and I haven't really been thinking about where I want to go next with my practice. I enjoy the interaction and challenge of working with my students and I gain so much from the experience, but I do struggle for head-space.

I haven't been making, walking or looking, and my journal writing has been infrequent... but I have had a little time to let a couple of things mull around in my head. In particular AUTHENTICITY is a word that came to the forefront. I have often been told that perfection is impossible, but I realise there is something very important to me about getting things right; not perfect, but right. By rightness I think I mean fulfilling the vision of the artist, artwork or project. I think this is something most artists strive for in different ways. How often do you hear an artist say 'that will do'? That is not to say that artists always feel happy with the results of their labours but that we are constantly trying to achieve our vision and stay true to our ideas and ideals. So I have acknowledged this need in myself and realise I should try to maintain authenticity in the work I make, how I make it and the projects I choose to commit to. This also means working with people who share my standards and vision wherever possible. Not easy but worth pursuing.

Other goals will be writing my journal (and blog), walking more and observing the world around me.