"The little dissatisfaction which every artist feels at the completion of a work forms the germ of a new work"

Creative pursuits are often driven by an undercurrent of longing, an itch that is never quite satisfied. When an artist finishes a piece, they rarely experience absolute contentment. Instead, a faint trace of dissatisfaction lingers, not necessarily because of a flaw that stands out, but because the finished work fails to encompass the totality of their vision. This small dissatisfaction acts as a catalyst, stirring restlessness and prompting the imagination to wander toward new ideas. Rather than being a discouraging sensation, it is a spark that ignites further creative energy.

If total satisfaction were possible, the artist might fall into complacency, finding little reason to return to their craft. The pursuit of an unattainable perfection compels revision, experimentation, and growth. Each completed work leaves behind the echo of unrealized images, untested techniques, or emotions that were hinted at but not fully expressed. These absences become seeds, germinating into new artistic endeavors. The artist’s journey is thus a continuous cycle, where restlessness becomes renewal.

Dissatisfaction is often a mark of vision. It signals that the artist’s ambition extends beyond their present abilities or the limitations of their medium. The desire to reach further, born out of feeling that something remains incomplete, motivates improvement. Mistakes and gaps are not failures, but rather invitations to explore, learn and refine. The creative process itself is a dialogue between aspiration and actuality, and it is in this margin that innovation flourishes.

Auerbach’s insight highlights how gentle discontent, rather than being a cause for frustration, is intimately linked to artistic growth. Each work closed is also a door opening; imperfection is not an ending, but a beginning. The dissatisfaction felt at completion, then, is both inevitable and essential, sowing the seeds of all that is yet to come.