ART/ARCHITECTURE; The Irrepressible Ragman of Art – New York Times
Sometimes I’ll take a walk just to forget whatever good idea I had that day because I like to go into the studio not having any ideas. I want the insecurity of not knowing, like performers feel before a performance. Everything I can remember, and everything I know, I have probably already done, or somebody else has.
That’s a quote from an article on Robert Rauschenberg.
I want to create the music that wants to be made, regardless of what other musicians or the critics and reviewers or even the audience might think of the result. Stefan Sagmeister writes Trying to look good limits my life, which I could translate into Trying to sound good limits my music or maybe Trying to impress other musicians limits my playing. Often I fail. But when I succeed it is very sweet.
Even in the little art I do I know I am never satisfied myself if I’m painting something for others instead of myself. It’s the fastest way to make a flop of it. And often when I have a really neat idea and I start to paint I have a terrible time letting go of it even when I know I have to to make anything of it. When someone great says things like you just did, it helps we who are mere smearers too. I guess if a person pleases himself, more often than not it will please others.
Thank you.