Rejection and Failure Go Hand in Hand

I have kept the word “failure” at the forefront of my mind since posting about rejection and how it helped me along my merry way as an artist. Hmmm, I wondered, if rejection can help, how about failures?

And then I stumbled upon the Cloth Paper Scissors questionnaire and see that failure has been on my mind much longer than just last week.

Below are two of CPS's question and my corresponding answers that deal with failure.

-If you could go back in time five years, what would you tell yourself about your art?
To trust in yourself and your art. There will be failures, mistakes, wrong turns, and distractions, but keep forging ahead. Work through the problems as in time they will resolve themselves.

-What do you wish they taught kids in school about art?
To trust in their inner artist and appreciate that they have been given a gift. But of utmost importance is that it takes more than just being gifted to make it as an artist.

Artists of all ages must persevere in times of doubt. Accept failure as part of the process. Be disciplined and focused even when it’s hard to find the time to do so. Be tenacious in their endeavor. And to be humble and open to change as teachers appear along their paths.

Maybe failure and rejection go hand in hand with being an artist. Or, more importantly, it just comes as part of this game called life. Might as well take advantage of them both and learn from them, me thinks.

Now I’m gonna go ponder mistakes that I have made. Surely there will be lessons there too.  I'll keep you posted on that front.

Until next time, have a creative day!



Hand in Hand, Kim Radatz