A golden rule that artists live by is “trust the process.” It’s something you’ll hear in every art class, and every conversation between artists. Every work of art takes its creator on a journey full of twists, turns, and unexpected detours—very much like life itself. And no matter how many times you’re told to trust the process, or how many times you remind yourself to do so, it always leaves you speechless when you experience it firsthand.
Recently, I completed a commissioned painting for a dear collector, Phil, and it served as a poignant reminder of just how essential it is to trust the process—both on and off the canvas.
Phil has long admired my City Life collection, and he reached out to me to create a custom piece inspired by City Life No. 4, which features a palette of yellow, black, red, and white. He also wanted a painting that captured the essence of Midtown Manhattan. Immediately, I was transported to my days living in New York City—walking down Madison and 5th Avenue, from my Upper East Side apartment to Chelsea, each Saturday. Images of the towering buildings, the bustling streets, and the iconic yellow taxis melting into the horizon flooded my mind. This vision was what I wanted to capture in the painting.
The base layer came together easily, and I was feeling good about the progress. But after sharing a photo with Phil, he requested that I incorporate blues, blacks, and grays into the piece. I welcomed the challenge and started adding those
tones, only to find myself staring at a muddy, unresolved canvas. At that moment, I was unsure how to proceed. The painting wasn’t working the way I had imagined, and doubt crept in. I felt stuck—lost in the work and unsure of how to move forward. In hindsight, that "messy" phase wasn’t as bad as I thought, but in the moment, it felt like a failure. I didn’t even want to share any new progress photos with Phil.
I set the piece aside for a while, frustrated and uncertain. I questioned my ability to finish it. But quitting wasn’t an option. Phil understood that creative blocks happen, and he expressed his faith that the piece would come together. What he didn’t know was that at that time I was also processing the recent loss of my father. Phil could have walked away from the commission, but instead, he gave me the grace and space I needed to find my way. You could say he trusted the process.
So, I did the same. I took a breath, returned to the canvas, and said out loud, “Trust the process Jennifer.” Stroke by stroke, session by session, the painting started to transform. Slowly, the layers began to harmonize, and my vision started to emerge.
When I shared a new progress photo with Phil, he was thrilled with how it was coming together.
"Wow! Wow! WOW! Yesss! I genuinely love the progress, and this is just what I had in mind. The colors and perspective are wonderful and perfectly captured the Manhattan night sky."
That moment sparked a breakthrough. I couldn’t pull myself away from the painting, and new energy surged within me. Refining the piece felt effortless, and every stroke seemed to fall into place as the vision I had been chasing finally came to life. After a couple more progress photos, the cherished moment happened … Phil and I agreed—it was time to call the piece complete!
Upon receiving his new painting, Phil shared:
"Absolutely brilliant! I'm thrilled with City Life #18 - thank you! It is much more impactful than in the photographs and I love it! This is precisely what I had in mind, and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. ... I smile every time I view it - I can't believe it's mine."
In art, as in life, moments of uncertainty are often where growth and magic happen. Trusting the process doesn’t mean everything will work out perfectly. It means having faith in your ability to navigate challenges and emerge on the other side with something meaningful.
Whether you’re working on a personal project, navigating a career change, or simply trying to make it through a difficult time, remember: trust the process. Keep showing up. Keep working. And know that, like a painting, life’s messy phases often lead to the most beautiful results.
To Phil—thank you for trusting me to bring your vision to life. And to anyone who needs to hear this today: keep going. The process will guide you where you need to be. To get through it, you must go through it.
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