Image © Trevor Anzai 2023

This painting holds a special place in my heart. May it represent the beauty in hard, grey, and cold days. This artwork was painted at the W.E. Burton Conservation Area in Russell, Ontario just last week. That day was a cold fall day and a harder painting session. I wasn’t totally inspired by the scene. Rather than get up and go somewhere else, I decided to paint a composition that didn’t depend on whether or not I was inspired. This was a challenge. It was gloomy, it was very grey, and that afternoon it reminded me that life can be beautiful even during these harder days. The beauty wasn’t in how I felt; it was the empathy I eventually received in my weakness.

We live in a culture that prioritizes feeling and experience. The emphasis on whether or not something makes us feel good isn’t the right motive. For when I painted this art piece, I wasn’t feeling good in the moment and was tempted to throw it away. My hands were very cold and there was no sun. The feelings of gloominess dictated how I felt about the painting. I returned home very emotional and complained to my wife that I wasted a whole afternoon of painting and driving to Russell. My wife was very empathetic. Encouragingly, she said it was a very beautiful piece of art. With reassurance, I put it aside and went back to it the next day. I decided not to add any final touches to preserve the painting as is—to show my creation on a tougher day. It’s a vulnerable piece and I hope you enjoy it. May this painting be a reminder that empathy is a beautiful quality for those harder days!

View more artwork here!