Excuses

I've always told myself that as long as something was learned, every painting was worthwhile. For example, in the painting on the left, oil on canvas, 24 by 30 inches, the trees push to the foreground, to a point where they appear as though drawn over pre-existing areas of colour. Lesson learned. This approach has obvious benefits for someone learning to paint, and that in turn is something that arguably never ends. However, does there come a point where it's just an excuse for lack of success? What if the best painting is perpetually the next painting. The counter-argument to all of this is best said by fellow painter Cynthia Agathocleous: "You do not need an excuse for failed works; the experience in itself is worthwhile." The act of painting is rewarding. If it wasn't, who would do it?