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Practice Makes Perfect

I tried to incorporate my line drawing on a wood tile. It was very difficult getting it to do what I wanted because it was laminated. I look forward to practicing more with the Creative Versa-Tool I got at Michaels'. The wood tile I got at Home Depot for free or for like 30 cents in 2010. I had planned to paint on it, but never got around to it. I wondered if my etching tool would work better? Not really what I was hoping for.

A friend of mine said that I should leave all my practice pieces around my neighborhood and NYC with my website and social media links. Kind of a "found art" business card. I think that is brilliant. What are your thoughts?

Dandelion by Amber D'Amato



Years ago I had a roommate that was a professional classical musician, he played various horns. We were watching a documentary on music conservatory students on tv. All the students waxed poetic about the meaning of music in their lives and how magical it was. 

He turned to me and said, "The low notes makes my nose tingle." 

I couldn't stop laughing. We put something we love on a pedestal. His attitude was *just practice, just do it. Stop overthinking the process. It is a skill like any other.* 

Unfortunately the arts are viewed as frivolous, we hype it up. It is capable of healing us, but like with anything, you are not going to be perfect the 1st time you try and the longer you put off making art the longer you will remain at your current skill level. So just start and intend to make mistakes, because mistakes are
beautiful discoveries.

We put unnecessary pressure on ourselves. Plus the journey, practicing is so much fun! There are people out there with a beautiful amount of art supplies collecting dust and not taking advantage of the Garden of Eden they have at their hands because they have an artist block or are perfectionists. When I am in my space making something it is absolute pleasure. When I am overthinking something it is unnecessary anxiety. Plus, Field of Dreams, if you build it they will come... Hahaha! Right? Create, call yourself an artist, the rest will come.

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