The Crow

Hi Steemians!

Today I decided to share an older artwork of mine that has an interesting story behind it. I painted this picture in August 2018 after reading an article in a magazine called Womankind. The article essentially said that we all have a "dark" side and at least some undesirable traits, and while we still should strive to become better people, we should also accept that we're never going to be perfect. I thought it was an interesting idea and it made me think about what am I willing to accept about myself.

I've always been told that I have a "resting bitch face", even though I don't always feel the way I look. However, I always feel fake when trying to force a smile, and frankly, I'd rather people thought that I'm annoyed than disingenuous. Secondly, I have this "gift" of instantly predicting everything that could go wrong with a given scenario, which may be useful, but definitely isn't too likeable. This reminds me of crows, who are considered a bad omen in many cultures. I've realised I can't possibly stop these thoughts from coming, so I might as well try to welcome them but perhaps be mindful not to overshare.

Now, fast-forward to February 2019. I decided to cold call a publisher I liked to ask if they had any illustration jobs for me. Coincidentally, a famous Czech author had just submitted a manuscript of a book titled – wait for it – Crows. It's a story about a girl who isn't accepted by her family because of her differences, but there is nothing she can do about it – she is who she is. The publisher immediately chose to use this artwork on the cover, which is only time something like this has happened to me so far. The book was published in January this year and I think it's doing quite well.

What is the lesson I take from this? I guess – don't be afraid to embrace your dark side, it resonates with people! As long as you don't become a full-on Sith, it might make you feel more in touch with yourself.