Having a bad art day (week)

I've been given the opportunity to have a retrospective show of my work with a few new pieces included. Great! Except that I'm not entirely sure that my new work is exhibition ready.

So, I've spent the last week working on a new mixed media piece and...

it has not been the joyous experience I had hoped it would be.

I've drawn the same !@#*#^%! image a ridiculous amount of times (you can't see here how I've painted over and reworked the drawing again and again) and just about every time I've come to a point where I declare it unworkable and start again. Then I have a minor freak out when I realize I've wasted a precious day or hour (time has a price beyond rubies right now).

I even blamed the paper. When I visited my local art store to purchase the magic paper (color of a paper bag, velvety smooth texture and acid-free) I got the chance to talk to the owner, Jack, about my deficient art mojo. He told me 2 things that I'm not sure have eased my concern. One- there is no magic paper (not anymore. I guess they USED to make it). Two- we all have a certain amount of really bad drawings in us and, lucky me, I'm apparently getting them all out right now! Thinking about it, it occurs to me that I might be making some very bad art for many years to come if this theory is correct.

I have been encouraged to plod ahead by a good friend who told me to 'just finish what you started'. So, I will...

even without the magic paper.