I once had to swallow a laugh when I heard my mom make the following comment to someone:
“It if’s not easy, it’s not meant to be.”
This was from a woman who got her commercial license to drive trucks cross-country at age 48. If she truly believed what she said that day, my childhood (and everything that came after it) would have been entirely different.
“Obsolete” 9 x 12 Oil pastel and chalk pastel on drawing paper
The painting above was one of those typical art experiences for me– started off fun and exciting, ended late at night with me sighing and reworking different parts until I could finally let it go and crawl into bed.
Making art starts off as fun for many of us, then quickly makes the turn. I remember driving to my first pastels class, full of anticipation. I drove home exhausted and in tears. I couldn’t wait for the next class though!
“Obsolete” is a picture I created from a photo I had taken in Germany. The only reason I got to spend a year in Germany on scholarship was because I pushed through the difficult parts of the application process. (Being a teenager at the time, the only reason I pushed through the application process was thanks to a very patient German teacher. I also was sick of high school and desperately wanted to get out of the house.)
If you want to accomplish something, it helps to nurture your determination. It’s something that will serve you well, and no one can take it away from you. When painting gets difficult, accept the challenge and push through. It’s better to finish a paining than to never know how it could have turned out– you can always toss it in the trash if you hate it once it’s done.