Nature Consumes Everything Eventually

#531

Yes it’s true, nature has a way of consuming everything eventually. We’ve seen it depicted in post-apocalyptic movies and video games, and we can even see it in ancient ruins. The solid rock is reduced to crumbling pebbles because of rain, humidity, wind…you name it. The strength of steel in modern buildings is weakened by hungry rust.

Entire cities can be consumed by nature if they sit long enough. The weeds creep in through cracks of concrete and promote more things to grow. Trees burst out of buildings with very little effort. It’s quite astonishing really, but what does this all mean for our artistic skills?

It means that if we don’t maintain our skills, the rust will slowly start gnawing away at that which was once solid. If we’re hoping for great success in our art, or life in general, we have to be persistent. We have to continually seek to improve our skill level and simultaneously endure growing pains.

Think of your art like it’s a small “mom-and-pop shop” that has great success in a small town. Do you think they can continue to grow their business if they do nothing to work towards it? They might be able to remain comfortable for a while, but it’s just a matter of time before another business like Walmart moves in next to them. When there are similar products offered for less, it has a tendency to gain popularity…even if the quality is significantly reduced and watered down.

Much like a masterful painting by Bouguereau that can be copied and sold for less by an artist that knows nothing about composition or design. Competition is always right around the corner even if they don’t have a long history in it’s field of success.

So how do we continually push past our comfort zone and overcome this dilemma?

We need to become nature, with endless persistence and endurance. This doesn’t mean we plant ourselves in the ground and dump fertilizer on our head. We need to continually adapt, grow, change, and improve. We need to allow the temporary growing pains to make us stronger…ensuring that nothing can weaken and consume our goals of success. Not once has nature succumbed to competition. Not even the Great Pyramids of Giza stand a chance against nature because they aren’t maintained.

Become nature in regards to your art, and embrace the positivities that come with change. Continue to grow and be persistent because that is the key to great success in art and life.

Thanks so much for a great year everyone! All of the support has helped this site grow into something that is slowly but surely helping change the future of art. Happy New Year!