Watercolor in Process, Marcia Carole
I have a dear friend, fellow teacher, named Eileen who always cheers me on, whether in life, teaching or exercise, by saying, “To finish is to win.” She and I were running in some 5Ks during one particular season of teaching, and we’d laugh at all our efforts to stay in shape, running near the back of the pack of runners. We’d make it over the finish line, gasping for air like star olympians, and she’d joyfully say her “finishing is to win” one liner. Exercise, back then, was an awful lot of fun with Eileen.
Statistics reveal that roughly 75% of artists state their biggest problem is finishing artwork. I guess we get all sorts of bright, creative ideas, paint, draw or design with a flurry of activity, brushes flying, and then we stall out. Maybe, it is because another “brilliant” idea flashes into our heads and off we go onto another project without finishing the previous one. My bird painting, above, is one such painting which got shelved for a bit as I dashed off to other projects.
Now, I am taking Eileen’s advice, and I am finishing this particular watercolor, even though I have several “amazing” ideas percolating on the right side of my brain. That right side can sometimes get the better of me, kind of like holding a tiger by the tail. However, today I am being disciplined enough to finish this piece. And as we all know, to finish is to win!
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Acts 20:24
