Creating Masterpieces 

How does an artist create a masterpiece? For some artists, it seems effortless. The piece flows from their mind onto media like a river from mountain to sea. The time from start to finish is surprisingly short, suggesting that masterpieces are whole upon inception. We marvel at the artists’ brilliance and good fortune. It is as if these are the qualities that set their work apart from ours.

Indeed, some artists tap into their talent more easily than others, and a fortunate few draw from greater depths. But raw talent is not enough. Imagine an ocean teeming with artists – each a captain piloting their craft, yet lacking wind to fill their sails. They progress slowly, if at all. They are stuck at the threshold of their potential. These gifted sailors are routinely surpassed by ‘lesser’ artists, dockworkers relentlessly harnessing their inspiration.

The secret to creating great artwork is to create a lot of art. Not all of it will be great, but with each piece comes a new discovery, a lesson learned. Wisdom grows incrementally. And when one has a lot of work to choose from, the best of the best stands the most likely chance of being great.