Resilience: persistence through artistic failures

I named this painting Resilience, not just for what it represents, but for what it felt like when I finally finished the painting. I was learning a new chunky color application, a painting technique from the Milan Art Institute, which they call the 'monster portrait'.

The first time I tried to paint the portrait, I failed epically. Not just because of the lack of technical execution, but emotionally, I failed. I didn't know how to emotionally regulate through that failure. Anyways, I was in a dark place at the time. My personal life felt crazy. Artistically, nothing was working. My brush felt clumsy, every color seemed to clash and smoosh in weird ways. My spirit was tired. So I walked away from the canvas and left it untouched for months. I sneared at it when I walked by, and refused to start another painting project until that one was done. But I couldn't finish it.

But something in me wouldn’t let it go. I needed to have persistence to push through my artistic failures. So finally, I tried again. I wanted it to be without pressure. I didn't want to care if I failed, I just wanted to learn. So I looked through my canvases and found one that had some paint splashes on it and was a little worn and tired-looking. I thought, at least if I messed up this time it would be on a cheaper, crapier canvas. Less stress, more freedom. This weirdly did trick, this time, the lines came more easily. The colors found their voice. And so did I.

We Don’t Know the weight Others Carry

As I painted this portrait of a young boy, I kept thinking: I don’t know him. I don’t know what he’s been through. And yet, I felt him.

There’s something in his eyes — strength and softness, guarded emotion, a story untold but deeply felt. As I painted, his face became a reflection of the kind of resilience that can’t always be seen — the quiet strength so often carried by youth in a world that is far too quick to judge.

It made me think about all the people we pass by each day, each one carrying burdens we can not see.

The stranger who snaps at you at the grocery store? Maybe they’re buying food for a sick loved one, and they are barely holding it together.

The driver who swerves past you recklessly? Maybe their brother is overdosing in the back seat, and they’re just trying to get them to the hospital in time.

The person you avoid on the sidewalk, the one who smells vaguely like urine or dogs and is wearing clothes that look like they haven't been changed in several days? That could easily be you someday. It could be me. Life turns faster than we think.

We all break. We all carry invisible weights. So why are we so quick to judge what we don’t understand?

Compassion as a Form of Resistance /resilience-persistence-through-artistic-failures

Slow down, just long enough to breathe. To think. To consider someone else’s potential reality before reacting to it. Imagining that someone is suffering from some unimaginably heavy burden, and that they are acting out because of it, rather than imagining that they are evil or have malicious intent. This allows you to have a sense of empathy for them rather than anger or fear. Anger and fear make us want to destroy things and that is when we make the most mistakes, and the biggest mistakes.

I believe that choosing compassion, especially in moments when it is hard, will be one of the most radical things we can do in a world built on fear and division. It's also one of the most powerful tools for emotional healing — both for ourselves and for the people we meet.

Resilience isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s choosing not to yell at the guy who just cut you off on your way to work. Choosing to have patience with your children instead of irritation. Pausing long enough to remember that we don’t know anyone’s full story, not even our closest friends, let alone a stranger.

That breath you take before reacting? It’s not weakness. It’s power. It’s a soft form of resistance. A sacred second to choose a better path.

-With Love-

Chej

P.S. If you are looking to create your own art and are in need of supplies, there are many great resources online. I always scavenge second-hand sales first (FB marketplace, thrift stores, yard sales etc.) and scoop up people's throwaways. Or if you only want new items, I would suggest Blick Art Supplies. They are reasonably priced, and they have almost EVERYTHING. I buy 90% of my supplies from Blick.

P.S.S. If you or anyone you know wants to learn how to paint and draw, then actually turn it into a successful career. Check out the Milan Art Academy, this is where I chose to go. The leaders of the Milan Art Institute don't believe in the 'starving artist' myth, and every lesson is designed to help you in the long run to successfully make money as an artist. Anyone can make a living with art, especially in a day and age where humankind can communicate with people on the other side of the planet in only seconds.

***Feel free to donate to my future art supplies or leave me a tip at https://buymeacoffee.com/chej

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