The great Scottish poet Robert Burns is remembered (among other things) for his profound wish that “some power” might give us the gift “to see ourselves as others see us”. It isn’t a wish to which I can subscribe without some caution and qualification. The perception of others is often superficial and misplaced. Nevertheless, today I have been wondering whether I ought to give more credit to Burns.
Just before we went on holiday I completed a set of images dealing with the themes of creation and creativity. These have been pinned to the display boards in my studio ever since. I still cannot decide whether I am fully committed to them or not. Certainly I still like the general idea that motivated them, but ….
I cannot decide whether they actually achieve what I set out to achieve in them. My wife thinks that perhaps their symbolism is far too private, and that they require too much explanation to work well as pictures, which are supposed to stand up on their own terms. Perhaps she’s right, but ….
It can be very hard sometimes for any artist to achieve a suitable degree of objectivity in relation to his or her own work. There is a tentative plan that I will put these on display locally shortly before Christmas, in association with activity organised by somebody else. I reckon that I really need to invite her to have a look at what I have done, because the success of either her activity or mine will be shaped by the fact that our work will appear on the same occasion together. That having been said, however, I wish that I could develop an adequately independent view of the interest and value of what I have done. Meanwhile, my seven images hang on the pin-board, waiting for me to make up my mind.