I had just finished sending a long text to my mum, pouring out my frustrations about this week. My body hasn’t been cooperating, and the desire to work on my own art collections keeps pulling at me, while the financial need to focus on commissions looms. I felt torn between what I wanted to create and what I needed to create. On top of that, admin tasks and everyday life kept pulling me away from the studio. I hit send, feeling deflated, still wondering how to fit in any time for my own art today.

Then, as if on cue, I came across something that made me pause. It reminded me that frustration is a necessary part of the creative process—just like children who go through bursts of growth, struggling one day only to wake up with a new skill the next. In the same way, artists grow through their struggles. What feels impossible today might become a breakthrough tomorrow.

This got me thinking about the emotional cost of art. When you, as a collector, purchase a piece of art, you’re not just buying paint and canvas. You’re investing in the emotional journey that comes with creating it. Every painting or sketch represents hours, days, even months of wrestling with ideas, overcoming roadblocks, and pushing through frustration.

Why Collectors Should Value the Emotional Journey of Artists

Behind every work of art, there’s an artist balancing creativity with the demands of life. We’re pulled between our passion projects and commissioned work, between the joy of creating something new and the weight of everyday responsibilities. The frustration I felt earlier today isn’t unique—it’s part of the artist’s journey, and it’s what ultimately leads to growth and new perspectives.

As a collector, when you bring home a piece of art, you’re acknowledging this journey. You’re supporting the late nights where nothing seems to come together, the endless hours spent reworking the same detail, and the internal push-pull between creating for ourselves and creating for others. You’re not just buying a finished product—you’re investing in the emotional labor that went into it, the personal growth and struggles that gave it life.

Art is a process, not just for the artist but for the viewer as well. It asks you to see beyond the surface, to understand the story behind each brushstroke. So, while today may feel like an uphill battle, I know that something new is just beyond the horizon.

And that’s the beauty of art—it teaches us, artists and collectors alike, to trust the process.