I was talking with one of my most encouraging friends, about my creative process and how it has been a challenge for me to really push myself and try new things. I feel like I have so many people depending on me, and while I’m thankful for each and every one of them, it is hard to push my own boundaries when there’s a very big possibility for failure. But why is failure ugly? If failing results in growth then why am I shamed of it? I remember visiting the Columbus Museum of Art a few years ago and seeing works from Rembrandt’s sketchbook that I’m pretty darn sure he did not think they were his best pieces – certainly not finished or refined! But the process, the way the ideas unfolded so organically in those drawings, was just as beautiful as the masterpieces hanging a few feet away. And, as a young artist, struggling with my own book of messy scribbles, they were WAY more encouraging. While I am a million paintings away from Rembrandt’s skill,…