A certain artist, known for his landscapes, stood for a long while, watching late summer from his studio window. How long, he didn’t know.
A tangle of thoughts since early morning, he had begun the session by agonizing aloud to no one in particular – because he worked alone – over the unexpected rains and doing again what a close friend had once accused him of: picking a fight with the sun.
Where, my dear Mr. Sun, are you hiding? Have you gone on strike?
The tantrum ended when he opened his photo album and saw the photographs he had taken of his subject a week earlier. Though it was the artist’s custom to begin his paintings outdoors, he always finished them in the studio using photographs.
Always.
So his progress didn’t depend upon the weather; neither the sunshine nor the lack of it troubled him. That this commission was going to take longer to complete than he had originally anticipated was the thing driving him crazy.
After nearly sixty sessions of work, his easel looked lonesome with it’s half-finished canvas waiting, waiting for completion. His frown deepened.
Something’s missing. What is it?
Then, he peered more closely at the first three images, at the lilies sitting atop their paddle-like pads, appearing like rose-red clouds cloaked in bright green overcoats. There weren’t nearly enough.
Ah, that’s it!
The idea that had been circling his brain like a tornado finally landed, and like that, he knew what to do.
He took the next step. He picked up his brush again and resumed the work, dabbing with quick strokes. Brush to palette, brush to canvas – his hands knew the motions.
Within moments, fresh splashes of carmine brought new life to the canvas, and what had felt hard before suddenly seemed easy. The artist was enjoying his work again and could visualize its end: a very good one.
And, perhaps it was at the close of a day like this one that Claude Monet wrote to a colleague, “I’m hard at work and, whatever the weather, I paint… I have undertaken a great project that I love.”
What current project of yours weighs heavy on you because it’s taking so long to complete? (Or, at least, longer than you thought it would?)
Could it feel challenging because you’re having to learn new techniques?
Have you hit a dry patch and nothing seems to be clicking?
Whatever the case, keep going. Feel free to yell at the sun—or your still empty page—if it makes you feel good in the moment. (I admit, it usually works for me.)
But once you’re done, pray for guidance, ideas, and stamina, and, believing you have them, get back to work.
Like Monet – and Nehemiah – you’re doing a great work, and you cannot come down. (Nehemiah 6:3)
And—have you noticed?—when we invest ourselves in the work we’ve been called to, we end up inspiring and bringing joy to others, just as they did.
Take, for instance . . . .
PAINTING ACROSS BORDERS
HARD, GREAT WORK INSPIRED BY MONET’S WATER LILIES
Monet’s Water Lilies series has inspired countless artists worldwide. Here are three beautiful interpretations:
- UNITED STATES: Frederick Childe Hassam’s Lilies depicts a tranquil scene of a garden pond with lily pads and reflections, reminiscent of Monet’s work.
- RUSSIA: Isaac Levitan’s Water Lilies captures floating lily pads’ peaceful, simple beauty.
- JAPAN: Hiroshi Yoshida’s Yozakura in the Rain elicits a misty, dreamlike mood where water dissolves into hazy waves of color.
QUOTE: “Color is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment.”—Claude Monet
CREATIVE CHALLENGE: Try creating your version of Water Lilies in your preferred art style.
QUOTES FOR CREATIVES FROM CREATIVES
💡 WISDOM FOR DOING HARD, GREAT WORK
Need a little encouragement for your creative journey? Here are seven quotes to fuel your perseverance and sense of purpose:
. . . whether or not God has kissed your brow, you still have to work. Without learning and preparation, you won’t know how to harness the power of that kiss.
—Choreographer and Dancer, Twyla Tharp
A clear sentence is not accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time or even the third time….If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.
—Writer/Teacher/Editor, William Zinsser
Real good writing takes real hard work.”
—Author, Abigail Considine Wallace
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
—Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)
Writing’s still the most difficult job I’ve ever had — but it’s worth it.”
—Author, John Grisham
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
—Confucius
What if you started praying as if it depends on God and working as if it depends on you?
— Pastor and Author, Mark Batterson
MOVIE NIGHT AROUND THE WORLD: NEW ZEALAND EDITION
🎥 FILMS TO CELEBRATE NEW ZEALAND’S NATIONAL DAY
February 6th is Waitangi Day, New Zealand’s national holiday! Celebrate by watching one of these remarkable films that showcase the country’s beauty and culture, whether about New Zealand or simply filmed in this gorgeous country.
WATCH:
- Whale Rider: A heartwarming story of a young Māori girl defying tradition to become a leader. (Overall, this is a wonderful film that had me laughing, tearing up, and yapping at the “bad guy” through the screen. In short, l luved it. But, attention, eh? There’s one instance of profanity (by an adult to another adult) and one instance of a slang term commonly used for the male member (among a group of young boys.)
- The Hobbit Trilogy: A hobbit, dwarves, and a wizard on a mission to reclaim a lost kingdom come up against a dragon, betrayal, and epic battles. (And New Zealand’s fabulous landscapes bring Middle-earth to life.)
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: In this film that returns us to Middle Earth, a hobbit and his allies embark on a dangerous quest to destroy a powerful ring and defeat dark forces. (So many locations in New Zealand have become popular through this movie that entire tours have been built around them.)
Now, check out these New Zealand-rich action movies and a very special documentary:
- Vertical Limit: A mountaineer (played by Chris O’Donnell) races against time to rescue trapped climbers on K2, facing deadly avalanches and moral dilemmas. The mountains seen in this movie are “the Southern Alps,” located on NZ’s South Island.
- The Last Samurai: Filmed in the scenic Uruti Valley of New Zealand’s North Island, this movie tells the story of a disillusioned American soldier (played by Tom Cruise) caught up in Japan’s struggle between tradition and modernization as he embraces samurai culture.
- First People in New Zealand: A documentary exploring the origins, history, and cultural legacy of New Zealand’s first indigenous people, the Māori. This is no ordinary documentary; the photography and the Māori’s origin story held my attention. Perhaps it will hold yours, too.
FUN FACT: Some of the actors in The Last Samurai were skilled martial artists, and Tom Cruise did most of his own sword-fighting stunts. But, no surprise there.
“Kia kaha – Stay strong.” – Māori Proverb
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