Aphorisms for Artists by Walter Darby Bannard

Aphorism #71

You can’t learn to be a good artist, but you can learn to be a better artist.

When I was a Little League coach we would ask a new kid to run to first base. By the time he got there we had a pretty good idea of his athletic ability. We did not, however, know his ambition. That took time.

It is much the same with art students. The basic talent is whatever it is, but ambition is the engine which drives it. As teachers, we are in the passenger seat with one hand on the steering wheel. All we can do is see, guide, encourage and do our best to prevent serious accidents.

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