Relentless

To the edge of collapse. ANDY GOLDSWORTHY

There will be those that whinge from life’s sidelines, cursing their bad luck and casting a jealous eye at the ones that are ‘just born with it.’ It is true, some people are imbued with natural ability from birth - coordination, speed, dexterity, strength - the true artist, however, is one who never basks in his own self worth. Instead, he pushes himself and his work to the limit.

And what of the edge of collapse? Sculptors, painters, surfers, footballers, the discipline doesn’t matter, if they are artists they share a common trait. It begins with an aptitude and they practice because they enjoy it. Sounds quite normal. But here’s the difference, the true artist is relentless. The better he gets, the more he expects of himself. Competition with others is only part of the battle, over time, he becomes consumed by a personal, intimate and lifelong war.

The only barrier is that edge, the edge of collapse. Artists flirt with it, taunt it and push it, because they know that only there can they experience the beautiful balance.

(Ps - the brilliant Cantona photo is courtesy of this guy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davemitchell/)