Blank Spaces

Still with Van Gogh today. Particularly on facing the blank canvas.

"I tell you, if one wants to be active, one must not be afraid of going wrong, one must not be afraid of making mistakes now and then. Many people think that they will become good just by doing no harm — but that's a lie, and you yourself used to call it that. That way lies stagnation, mediocrity.

Just slap anything on when you see a blank canvas staring you in the face like some imbecile. You don't know how paralyzing that is, that stare of a blank canvas is, which says to the painter, You can't do a thing. The canvas has an idiotic stare and mesmerises some painters so much that they turn into idiots themselves. Many painters are afraid in front of the blank canvas, but the blank canvas is afraid of the real, passionate painter who dares and who has broken the spell of 'you can't' once and for all."

There are times when I sit down to write, even something as meaningless as an entry on this silly little blog, and the blank spaces do paralyze me. It's encouraging to think of Vincent and all the other artists out there attacking the blank canvas, making choices, not being afraid to go wrong. Knowing that you can paint over or scrape away what didn't work, but that you first need to start. The only way to improve is to practice, whether that's your skills as a painter, or just your ability to stare down the blank canvas.

This post brought to you in an effort to slap something up on the blank canvas.