"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best."
What an excellent thing to say. Words I live by. If I didn't try new things (and usually fail miserably at them) I would never make it to that next step: mediocrity. Mediocrity is a place where I don't like to get too comfy, but I find myself there all too often. And I think that's where Mr. van Dyke has it right. You've got to "sing"...or create...no matter what the outcome, because there's an inherent beauty in your contribution. Many of my creations end up in the "Dead Beads" bin. Occasionally I like to pick through them and acknowledge my failures...it helps me to see where I've been and where I'm going. The point is, though, that I KEEP the dead beads...each one is important to me and holds value, even though they are for all intents and purposes, useless.
Of course we're all, as beaders (and as a larger group, as artists), striving for success on every project, but unless you're one of the very lucky (and talented!) you're going to have days of mediocrity just like me. Fill the woods with song! Know that you are heard!
