Cold Prairie Studio

I knew this blog would be as much about the journey as anything, and if there’s one consistent experience I can write about, it’s the ALL IS LOST moment.

In story, it’s the part of the tale when the protagonist is at their lowest; when they feel like giving up or throwing in the towel; when their defeat seems imminent. It seems to me that nearly every piece of art I create has its own ALL IS LOST moment. The nature of ink and watercolour is such that one can’t simply just paint over mistakes. Sometimes, All Is Lost for real. Not every story has a happy ending and I have the pile of chopped up scrap paper to prove it.

But here’s the thing. Often redemption comes when when the piece feels like a complete write-off, and I end up thinking something like this: It’s a mess anyway so I might as well just have fun and start throwing things at the page. This is when I’ll come in more heavily with dark punches of shadow, bolder lines, experimental colours; when I ask what would happen if…

If there’s nothing to lose, it seems less risky. The crazy thing is, these daring actions can turn the tide, pull the piece together, direct focus, create interest.

This is where I find myself in flow state. It’s when I’m no longer attached to the outcome and I’m doing what I love; why I would go on making art, even if there was no one to show it to or share it with.

When I step back and take a look at what I’ve done, the results can be surprising. Sometimes, the piece is finished. Even when it can’t be redeemed, this process can show me where I’ve been holding back or what I need to do differently. Essentially, staying in the fight long enough to see what happens means I learn something one way or another. Even when it seems All Is Lost, there’s an element of redemption and that can make for an interesting sequel.