Eating a Slice of Humble Pie

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“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:7  KJV

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Have you ever noticed that people are more likely to express admiration of your art and tell you good things about it than they are to give out constructive criticism that would help you improve? That’s certainly been my experience. It’s far more likely for me to get compliments on my art than it is to be told how to make it better.  Sure, I’ve had teachers show me different things but a lot of times my artistic deficiencies have been slow to get noticed by me.

Over the years I’ve thought of my art as good, or at least good enough.  I knew God gave me ability in art but I didn’t work with it on a consistent basis. I did a little here and a little there.  Starting about five years ago I felt I really wanted to do more with art.  Specifically, I wanted to do more for God with art.  I thought I could whip something up and people would be interested in it.  So, I started working more on art and trying ideas.  I got to put my art into a few local shows but beyond getting a few compliments not much happened.


It’s said “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.”  I know that’s not true and I’ve recently realized it’s been hurting the art I make.  There are some important skills in art making that I never learned properly that have really hurt my art.  Not realizing those deficiencies means my art is much worse than I thought.  I need to eat a slice of humble pie and try to learn so that my art can improve.


If I want to glorify God with my art I need to see my own need for instruction so that I do not become the fool that despises wisdom and instruction in Proverbs 1:7.  My pride in my own ability gets in the way of learning.  Beyond not making light of the need to learn I also want to look to God’s desires with my art.  I want to seek ways to serve God through making art.  Currently, I’m working on composition skills and praying about what art opportunities God would want me to apply to.

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Jenny Gano - Guest Blogger

Jenny Gano is an artist and a teacher.  Her current artistic focus is working on using the tools of composition within oil paintings of landscapes. You can see and track her progress with composition through her Instagram or Facebook. 
Instagram: @jennygano
Facebook: Gano Studio @jenniferGanoArtist