When envisioning a Spring Break trip to the beach, watercoloring is not likely to enter one’s mind. However, it was the highlight of mine. I think this is because true joy is an outgrowth of experience, and to seek joy in an experience is to make joy unobtainable. When the opportunity to watercolor presented itself, I had no intention except the act of watercoloring which led to a state of child-like bliss where all that existed in the world, for a brief moment, was the room I was in, the people I was with, and the watercoloring set.
I wanted to recreate one of the many cover for one of my favorite albums, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West. So, I started to make the red background to the cover which was easy enough, but the entire time I was making the background I was dreading having to do the center of the album cover. The center of the album cover would prove to be an actual test of artistic ability which I have little.
As I expected my attempt at painting the ballerina in the center of the cover was less than stellar, and I fully considered starting over in the chase of doing it perfectly (what that would even entail, I have no idea). However, I thought it better to embrace the flaws in my creation.
Perfection is a nigh-unobtainable goal. Just like the pursuit of joy, true “perfection” occurs most when it isn’t being sought after, for when perfection isn’t the goal most outcomes can be considered “perfect” in some capacity or another.
If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.
Leo Tolstoy
E. Aaron Baughman's Eclectic Mess 