War and Peas

The Artist’s Lament

warandpeass
"The Artist's Lament" "Hours and hours of work lay behind you. Your weary bones ache and your head does, too. There’s crumpling and cramping in your legs, in your hand. You risk falling over that old canvas stand." Visual: The artist stands near the canvas with scattered paint supplies around. Text: "It’s time to take a step back and look at your jewel. But you gasp out in horror, oh, you’ve been such a fool! The trees look like trolls and the dogs look like sheep. ‘Everything’s come out wrong!’ you slump down and weep." Visual: The artist gazes at their canvas in dismay, head in hand, with discarded art materials on the ground. Text: "Now it’s all over! It’s over, indeed! When they said study law, you should have paid heed. You’ve toiled away, all those years were in vain! You might as well lay down and wait for the train." Visual: The artist stands, defeated, by an easel with an empty canvas, with a paintbrush and palette discarded at their feet. Text: "You schlep yourself to bed, try to think of something nice. But you see that ugly artwork every time you close your eyes. Tomorrow you’ll apply for that data-entry job. Suffering in silence, like all those other sobs." Visual: The artist lies face down in bed, wrapped in a blanket. The room is littered with scattered tools and slippers by the bed. Text: "Sleep won’t find you now, you’re full of self-pity. In vain you try to meditate, read comics, pet your kitty. So you get yourself up and—now you’re feeling brash— Those stupid inks and brushes are going straight into the trash." Visual: The artist walks with their cat, holding a canister in one hand, as they contemplate throwing away their art supplies. Text: "But wait, what’s that there? A mysterious pling. A small silent chirp, a crisp ringing ring. That corner right there, slightly catching my eye doesn’t make me want to douse my whole place in lye." Visual: The artist, now intrigued, stands at their easel holding a watering can, with the canvas in the background.


Once Upon a Workday

This is one of the stories from our new book “Once Upon a Workday”. It’s available wherever books are sold but you can also get a signed copy from our online shop!

About the Book

With this book, we have fulfilled a dream of our own, to publish a book that is written entirely in rhyme and deals with one of the most important topics in our society:
The relationship between work and leisure. But it also deals with topics such as creative burnout and insecurities about one’s own abilities.

We had a lot of fun writing and drawing this book and are delighted that so many of you enjoyed reading it and writing us letters with your experiences.

It makes an excellent gift for yourself, but also for a friend who is going through a difficult phase. Thank you for reading.

Get a Signed Copy Here
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