Hurt so good

The other day I was rummaging through my canvases. I pulled out a couple of pieces that I had forgotten about and realized quickly why: they were so boring! I couldn't believe that just a few years prior I had made these paintings! I absolutely hated them and how boring they were! There was nothing remotely interesting or finished about these pieces. They had to go. So I went ahead and began the process of painting over them... which sometimes can be difficult or sad, but this time I just tore into the work. I worked very feverishly and quickly on both of them, covering them up with a framework blocked in for a new composition. I went to bed that evening so satisfied that I had begun to move forward in a new direction with these canvases and started to feel very hopeful about their new lives. 


The next day I looked down at my hands and realized something that hadn't really occurred to me the night before; I had blisters! Apparently, my grip had been a little tight on the old paintbrushes, because I had a blister so big on one finger I could not bend it all the way! This has never happened to me before and I found it quite hilarious. I have developed callouses on my fingers from the manner in which I hold a pencil and my fingers are a bit thick from all of the work I do with them from my studio to sports, to my work in the service industry, but blisters! Never would I have thought I would see the day! Now that I have, at least I know it is from the tough climb of the hardest mountain anyone has to conquer; getting over and moving forward for themselves and in the end, it hurt so good.