Learning New Things, Part Two: Conscious Incompetence This second stage in learning represents a turning point. Conscious incompetence is when you begin to grasp the nuances of that new thing you are learning…and realise where you are with it: the parts that flow easily and naturally and the aspects that are more challenging or difficult. It is also a time when you realise how much there is still to learn.  This is the place where we...

Learning New Things, Part One: Unconscious Incompetence   Last weekend I happened upon a summer festival where there had been a juried plein-air art show. I only caught the end part as the awards were being announced. The adjudicator was explaining that the pieces they awarded prizes to were those that had captured the energy and spirit of the festival. They were not necessarily the most technically developed among those who had entered the...