Fritz Fail 1
©2011 Craig Ashby
Mixed media on wood.
10″ x 8″

Fritz Fail 1 is a massive failure. There were going to be three in this Fritz series of self portraits. Things went so wrong with these that the second two were never even finished.

This one has little merit. With the exception of the metallic Woody the Woodpecker there is just no hope in getting this one to succeed. Although I have to say I love the digital color blocking that is happening at the top of the piece. But the real problem is how muddy everything else is. The tiny woodpeckers and the paint drips are just blurs.

Sometimes knowing when to quit is better than fighting a losing battle. I sometimes wonder if I should extrapolate this to all art itself. But then I realize that will get me nowhere. So I keep moving on.

Just last night I was finishing a new piece and the feeling to quit was overwhelming. Throughout the process my mind railed against the tedium. It was painful and my mind constantly looked for an out.

Sometimes the work is just a continual fight to stay this beast. Notice I said stay and not slay. There is no killing this thing.