Building Character

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Although I have never experienced physical persecution, as many Christians in other countries do, I know that even the minor irritations I sometimes experience can be used by God to build character in me.

At work, my boss is the Design & Graphics Editor for the city newspaper, and I am a Contract Graphic Artist there (he and I are the only ones who do the artwork for the newspaper). He is a strict perfectionist who constantly criticizes me and my artwork.

The following are some illustrations I did in Adobe Illustrator CS2, which my boss said were not good enough to publish (or else he just didn't like them). Basically, he gave me an assignment to draw something, then, after I drew it, he said it wasn't good enough. This happens often. The bottom one is a scan of a sketch I did, which he also rejected. A few times he has said that my work was very good, and obviously, many times my artwork has been published (or else I would have been fired long ago), but very often, he says that what I drew is not going to work, or that its not good enough, or that he just doesn't like it. In the case of the illustration of the City Manager below, even though he rejected my illustration, he used a couple pieces of it in his own artwork, and he signed only his name to it. Many times he will have me draw a few items, which he will add to the artwork that he has done, but he will sign only his name to it, and take all the credit. Ah, well, he's my boss, after all, and I am getting paid to do it, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much. Plus, as I said, I have already had many things published under my name. After a while, the initial rush from having your work published starts to wear off and become old, anyway. Fame is not all that its cracked up to be.

Art is a very personal thing, and having your artwork rejected, especially on a constant basis, is frustrating. Nevertheless, I am trying to keep my eyes on eternal things, and not on the things of this world. This job is only a temporary thing, after all. Less than 60 years from now (maybe far less), I will be in Heaven, and these minor frustrations will be forgotten.

Some of my rejected artwork: