"Mistakes, Failure, and Being Wrong"...the creative process

"Do not fear mistakes. There are none."

Miles (Dewey) Davis (III)   May 25, 1926

I love jazz musicians.  They are the genius' of spontaneous creativity.  An old acquaintance of mine from a couple of lifetimes ago, Ken Cassover, was a psychologist by day and a jazz pianist in the likes of Dave Brubeck at night, was trained as a traditional concert pianist.  I asked him one day if he found that rigid training beneficial or a hamper to his playing jazz.  He shared that his classical training had been a benefit.  He said that it broadened his base of spontaneity.

I feel the same way about classical training in the visual arts.  Students need to be held to an accountable understanding of the elements of art and the principals of design.  I think at every level of learning those tenants hold true.  I use as an analogy with my students that at every level of football (elementary school to the pros), players practice the rudiments of blocking.

Tiger Woods practices putting.  John McEnroe his backhand.

Now, about Miles Davis' comment about mistakes.  FDR said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself".  The only "mistake" we can make is to believe that failure is not a part of the process of creating art.  Being wrong is what makes us human.  Embrace it.

Here is short video of students while they were staining their ceramic pendants the other day.