Garden Gate by B.B. Rich

From the Artist:

"Upon Reflection, Pleasant Fragrance, and Garden Gate can be considered a set. They were created with a similar idea in mind. As a self-taught artist with no formal training, I am very conscious of all the ways that my artwork is different from others' art. This, combined with the use of pen & ink, which requires an extreme level of precision, can trigger an awful sense of perfectionism and pressure. It can be almost paralyzing.

When I created these pieces, I decided to try an experiment. Instead of spending time doing preliminary sketches and measuring to get "perfect" lines and proportions, I would just... draw. Literally, I would just pick up my pen, draw directly in ink, and accept the result. No sketching or measuring, combined with my own personal style, gave these drawings an almost abstract quality. There were all sorts of "mistakes" in the proportions, lines, and everything, but somehow it was still aesthetically beautiful. The parts that I would normally think of as "wrong" ended up giving these drawings life and character.

It was a good reminder to me that beauty doesn't necessarily come from getting everything "perfect." That kind of perfection is impossible for us human beings anyway. Instead, it really seems to come from embracing all the little irregularities and imperfections. Somehow, they all come together to create a whole that's uniquely beautiful. In the end, it also makes me far less self-conscious about the little quirks of my self-taught style.

I hope the message about avoiding the trap of perfectionism resonates with you as strongly as it did with me. These drawings could help remind you to embrace the things about yourself that are less-than-perfect. And, perhaps, they could help to see yourself more positively and appreciate your own uniqueness as a person.

  - B.B. Rich"

Garden Gate is available as 11x14 Archival Matted and Framed or 8.5x11 Unframed Archival Print