Day 18: You know, it's funny how wrong an artist can be about his own work.-- Deems Taylor

You know, it's funny how wrong an artist can be about his own work.-- Deems Taylor

This comes to us when Deems is introducing Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite segment. 

It is little known outside small circles that the great composer Tchaikovsky did not really like his work on The Nutcracker Suite. Yet it went on to become one of his most famous pieces, thanks in part to it being a now seasonal tradition to see the ballet at Christmas. However, in Fantasia, The Walt Disney Animators chose to illustrate it in a very different way, keeping the essence of the ballet and the music. 

Do you know of any artists? Have they ever said their artwork was not that great but when you looked at it it was outstanding or better than they thought? Perhaps you know a writer who sometimes struggles with the quality of their writing or ends up with a writer's block because they don't think it's good enough. Maybe you know a photographer who does not believe in their work, yet are a wonderful photographer who captures so much life in their photographs. The artist could even be a painter who doesn't like their newest painted piece because of a very subtle shade that to the untrained eye is unnoticeable.  We are our own worst critics and artists are the most critical of all because of the details they want to input into their piece. Yet we need a lot of encouragement and reassurance because we sometimes cannot overcome our inner demons that say our work is not good enough even if it is. Don't be alarmed if your artist friend seems to need a bit more reassurance more than usual about a piece. It's all part of the creative process. 

So until next time, love and support your artists and Keep Cooking with Character!