Walking through a friend’s house one day, I spied, out of the corner of my eye, a small painting on a back wall. It immediately struck me as a very good picture, and my instant thought was, “What is that?”

A second later I realized that it was a painting of mine which I had given him years before.

This kind of positive affirmation is a thrill for an artist. It is how art should be seen. If I had known it was my picture before I saw it, I certainly would have fallen into my surly habit of picking it apart and finding fault.

Look at all art with fresh eyes. It is not easy, but it is essential.