Most of us, I venture to suggest, no matter how confident we may appear, are unsure of our abilities. Many of us are self-deprecating, sometimes to a counter-productive degree. "Of course, I'm no Turner", we blush; hoping desperately that someone will contradict us. I wonder why they never do.... Lacking certainty that we are actually any good, some of us are also inclined too readily to accept one adverse criticism, however many positive comments have been made. Of course - and here lies the trouble - sometimes we'll be right; now and then, a painting will pass muster with a lot of people, but you know there's something not quite there; and just one perceptive comment can show you what that is. Such moments are very precious, in my opinion: Alan Owen, bless him, provided me with my last one - yes, I always knew there was something wrong, but I couldn't tell what was MOST wrong, until Alan pointed it out (so gently you could have missed it). But sometimes we'll be wrong, too. Wrong to accept even well-meant advice, because that advice just happens to be mistaken. To give a case in point: I have a good friend; a professional photographer, all round good egg etc. I send him jpg files of my paintings now and then, he sends me photographs. He really didn't like one of my paintings at all; he went so far (for him) as to say, basically, "could do better". Now, my normal reaction to that would have been to assume he was right - in part because I tend to accept criticism a little too easily, and my faith in my own abilities waxes and wanes. This time, however, I thought no: not that I couldn't do better - I certainly hope I can. But that this painting - a small snow scene - actually, well, yes, dammit - wasn't at all bad. So I put it on POL, and so far around 18 of you have agreed with me: Not one adverse criticism (don't all start now....), not one suggestion that I might change this, or crop that, or lighten that bit there. Well, obviously, thank you very much for that. And I know people on POL don't offer praise they don't mean, so that's very reassuring. But my point is this: I know that some of us are very easily hurt by criticism; I've known people say, actually on the gallery pages or in private messages, that they feel they're outclassed by the painters here; one even told me they felt a fraud, even presuming to post work. Well, but - many of us do, when we've had a bad day; I often look at work and wish I could have done it. And there IS a big variety in the quality of work posted, inevitably. Two points, though: one, all the "better" painters (modestly excludes self) know an honest work, with promise, when they see one; they aren't looking to do your work down, and they aren't quietly sneering at it. A diet of perfection gets very boring, and you have as much right to post here as anyone even if you don't think you're any b. good. And two, remember always that someone may criticize your work with the most honest and friendly of intentions; they may be kindly but downright, and because you have valued their opinion in the past, you may be inclined to accept it now. However - they can so easily be wrong; any of us can be wrong; and anyone who wants to be an artist has to develop a 6th sense enabling us to deal with this: not a thick skin ... insensitivity is only useful to an artist when they're in the dentist's chair; it's a positive handicap otherwise. We all need enough confidence in our work, or even just in our intentions in producing it, not to be downhearted by the first critical comment that comes our way. Now this is all obvious, isn't it? We all know the story of the stolen Picasso which turned up in a derelict house, and was used by builders when they came in to renovate as a target for unwanted bread rolls and other (happily not lethal) objects - it was his Weeping Woman, as it happens. They were of the "Wouldn't Give It House Room" tendency: and they aren't alone - even Sir Alfred Munnings, RA, commented that Picasso ought to be booted up the backside. Yes, we all know stories like this - but when it comes right down to US, we don't really believe it. The critic must be right; I can't be any good; I ought to sell my paints and brushes and not fool myself I can ever sell anything I might produce with them. If that feeling hasn't descended on you now and then, you have a boundless self-confidence and are probably insufferably arrogant - no wonder your wife/hubby left you and you've got no friends... But if you have felt like that, test out the criticism. Don't just accept it, whoever made it - and even if 100 people say your painting ought to be used to scare the crows away, so long as you believe in it, stick by your faith in your own abilities. Here endeth the Second Lesson...