Dear Eva,

It will be almost a month since you wrote to me and you have possibly forgotten your state of mind (I doubt it, though). You seem the same as always, and being you, hate every minute of it. Don’t! Learn to say “Fuck you” to the world once in a while. You have every right to. Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder, wondering, doubting, learning, hunting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, rumbling, rambling, gambling, tumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning, groaning, honing, boning, horse-shitting, hair-splitting, ass-gouging, eyeball-poking, finger-pointing, alleyway-sneaking, long waiting, small stepping, evil-eyeing, back-scratching, searching, perching, besmirching, grinding, grinding, grinding away at yourself. Stop it and just DO.

AND:

From your description, and from what I know of your previous work and your ability, the work you are doing sounds very good. “Drawings—clean-clear but crazy like machines, larger, bolder, real nonsense.” That sounds fine, wonderful—real nonsense. Do more. More nonsensical, more crazy, more machines, more breasts, penises, cunts, whatever—make them abound with nonsense. Try and tickle something inside you, your “weird humor.” You belong in the most secret part of you. Don’t worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your own world. If you fear, make it work for you—draw and paint your fear and anxiety. And stop worrying about big, deep things such as “to decide on a purpose and way of life, a consistent approach to even some impossible end or even an imagined end.” You must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to DO.

Brought to my attention by the clutch Mason Currey. This from a note Sol LeWitt wrote sculptor Eva Hesse. At the time Eva was unsure about giving up drawing and painting for her new enthusiasm for sculpture. Most artists will feel this pull.

Exercise, replace the name “Eva” with your own.

Then go.

Currey, Mason. “The Greatest Pep Talk in Art History.” Subtle Maneuvers (newsletter), May 19, 2026. https://masoncurrey.substack.com/p/the-greatest-pep-talk-in-art-history.