What Plein Air Painters Can Learn from Brett Favre?
August 17, 2008
Even if you are not a big sports fan you are probably aware that the name Brett Favre has dominated the airwaves in recent weeks. News of the NFL quarterbacks retirement, quest for reinstatement and subsequent trade to the New York Jets has been way, way, way overdone. Especially on ESPN’s Sportscenter show. I figured I might as well jump on the band wagon!
What does Brett Favre have to do with plein air painting? Plenty! Although I have no idea whether he knows there is such a thing or if he would even care. Here’s what I do know. The future Hall of Famer holds all time records in the following categories:
- Most consecutive starts for a quarterback
- Most pass attempts
- Most pass completions
- Most passing yards
- Most passing touchdowns
- Most interceptions
That’s right sport’s fans, Brett Favre has the most successes and the most failures, all time. I would also hazard a guess that Favre played when conditions were poor and he wasn’t feeling his best. Plein air painters can take a page from his playbook. In order to be a great painter, or at least the best we can be, we have to be out there on a persistent consistent basis. If we start the most paintings, we may complete the most paintings. We will definitely blow some but we will gain ground and we’ll certainly score some winners. We can benefit from the law of attrition.
Since I brought up ol’ “No. 4″ (for those of you in Rio Linda, that’s Favre’s jersey number), there is another point worth making. When his pass plays don’t work, Favre huddles with his troops and calls another play. He doesn’t spend alot of time analyzing his failures. He simply tries something else. Too often student painters labor over compositions that aren’t working. They think that every canvas has to be fixed. They take photos, go home and wrestle with them. There is a point where that is really counterproductive. I learned from Scott Christensen to get off of a composition as soon as I recognize that it isn’t working. It’s better to wipe out and start a new one. In fact some of my best work has come after wiping out, turning a little to my right or left and starting over.
So, practice continually, accumulate knowledge, study nature often and don’t be afraid to start over. You too belong in the hall of fame!
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