Perseverance
Apr 16, 2019
Perseverance: Never Give Up on a Painting
By Thomas Matthew Pierson
Artwork can be a struggle; paintings can often take longer than you expect, and things can go not as planned. My painting “POW!!! Right in the Kisser! -Peter Griffin- “(working title) is a testament to pushing through all the pain and frustration that can come from pursuing your passion. There is a common misconception that art is fun and enjoyable that is partially true. The reality is there are times when working on a piece of art is a massive pain in the ass.
“POW!!!” was one of those pieces. I did not want to work on this piece, half way through I wanted to just give up. Every morning I woke up to work on it and everyone morning I dreaded it. The progress was so small from the day to day that it felt like nothing had changed in a week. I was stressed out because I was working on this piece and I could not see the ending in sight. I knew what needed to be done, but the ways to do it were taking massively longer than I had anticipated. I would cry in the studio, frustrated beyond comprehension, wondering when this piece will be over with.
It became a metaphor for everything I had ever given up on; I had to finish this piece. Not finishing it would mean I would have squandered hundreds of hours and have nothing to show for it. Finishing it would also mean that I can close a chapter in my life and have a sense of accomplishment for achieving something I would have never thought possible. That is working on a painting for more than 6 months. That is only how long back I can remember painting on this piece. I know it has been years, Facebook memory photos keeps reminding me of the fact.
I learned so much through this painting, what to do, and what not to do. I feel that this piece was a stepping stone to greater things in my work. I know that the next few pieces are going to be groundbreaking visually because of this painting. Even though I may have lost so many hours on this work, I believe I have gained a bit a wisdom out of it.