About Talent...

[Claudemir Bonfim]

I don't think you will ever offend anyone John,
I understand what you say and I'm sure everyone here respects your opinion.
I still would like to continue reading all sorts of opinions from the forum members, that's why I started this post.

Have a great time painting.

[Claudemir Bonfim]

I found this the other day.

by Kathie Sorensen and Steve Crabtree - The Gallup Organization. October 2, 2000

The concept of talent is elusive -- it lacks substance, specificity. Perhaps that's part of the reason so many people have trouble applying it to themselves. Carefully examining and refining the concept of talent may make it easier for you to recognize it in yourself and others, in order to make the most of it in your daily life. Knowledge and skills can be learned, but talent is enduring.

I would like someone to help me figure it out.

[Claudemir Bonfim]

A couple of minutes ago I found the following...

[I]by Carole Guevin
September 2001

Somebody once said that a *talent* is anything you succeed at doing the first time around. There is this easiness, grace and elegance, assurance in mindset - you try it - and voil

[John Reidy]

Claudemir-

For something as gossamer as talent, the last passage seems to incorporate the essence for me.

[Anthony Emmolo]

David Leffel said three things to me that have stayed in my mind related to this topic. These are paraphrases as it has been a while:
1- "Looking at the history of art, there were so many talented people, so I knew that if they could do it, I could do it."
2- "I try to learn from each painting and to continually create a better painting than the one that I had just finished. This way I grow over the dead bodies of my past paintings.
3- "It's not that difficult, once you learn how to do it, you'll see it's not that difficult. You've just got to learn how to do it."

Finally to quote Winston Churchill, "Never, never, never give up."
Anthony

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Thank you Anthony for sharing those quotes, very inspirational!

Joan

[ReNae Stueve]

I'm unable to define talent, but I know that it is much more than an illusion.

Perhaps yes, it's 15% talent to the 85% hard work, and we need to stress this because many beginners, want instant success, but without talent you get mechanics. I studied piano for years. I'm very good at reading, fingering, playing all the right notes, but there is no soul to the sound. I'm a mechanic. The idea of singing, thrills me, the desire is there, but trust me.... all the lessons in the world will not make me a singer. But when I paint, something happens, some instinct takes over on those special, "in the zone" days. And the more I paint the more often this zone thing happens.

I think of talent as a seed.......without tilling the soil, watering weeding and sunlight, it will remain a seed. But I can till, weed, mulch and water the dirt all I want and without the seed, I'll just have a nice bed.

[Claudemir Bonfim]

Thanks John and ReNae;

By the way ReNae, I'm a deep bass singer, I sing Opera and my teachers liked it very much when I was studying, that's so easy to me. Maybe I should spend more time on the stage.

[Michele Rushworth]

I think of talent as a seed.......without tilling the soil, watering weeding and sunlight, it will remain a seed. But I can till, weed, mulch and water the dirt all I want and without the seed, I'll just have a nice bed.

Brilliantly put!

[ReNae Stueve]

Claudemir,

Sing your heart out.