"His failures are as valuable as his successes: by misjudging one thing he conforms something else, even if at the time he does not know what that something else is"

Every act of creation, whether successful or mistaken, contributes to the larger pursuit of understanding and mastery. When Bridget Riley suggests that failures are as valuable as successes, she highlights the essential role that missteps play in shaping an artist’s growth. Each failure is not simply a missed target or a flaw, it is an active force that directs the creator toward new insights. Through the process of misjudging one element, a subtle compensation occurs elsewhere in the work or in the artist’s technique.

Failure transforms into a catalyst; it recalibrates a creator’s sensibilities, subtly altering their perception of form, color, structure, or concept. Often, these realignments happen beneath the level of conscious awareness; the artist learns, responds, and evolves even if the specific lesson is not immediately clear. The significance of these unintended affirmations, the “something else” that is confirmed, can reveal itself only over time. It might become the foundation for future works, an unintentional method, or a new sensitivity to materials and ideas.

Riley’s words suggest an acceptance of ambiguity and an appreciation for the unknown pathways in creative endeavors. By not insisting on immediate clarity or success, the process becomes one of exploration rather than rigid execution. The journey, with its apparent setbacks, is what cultivates authenticity and depth. This perspective regards misjudgments not as dead ends but as pivots, moments that open alternate visions or techniques that the artist would not have discovered through straightforward achievement.

There is humility and patience in this acknowledgment of failure’s potential. The creator must trust that flaws and detours are indispensable, their true value not always visible in the moment but fundamental to personal and artistic evolution. Riley’s insight encourages a view of creativity as an interconnected web of experience, where every error has the potential to confirm, reveal, or inspire new terrain.