Chronicles: Science Fiction & Fantasy Community
300 Word Story Challenge: April 2021
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Speculative Fiction
Theme: inspired by the image shown here.
Title: The Soul of an Artist
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For years he'd striven for recognition, fighting the critics that said his work was empty, devoid of anything meaningful, and good only for hanging on a wall and looking decorative. It was the worst insult imaginable for an artist and one that he had heard over and over again until the words echoed on a constant loop in his head.
Meaningless? Empty? He would show them just how wrong their words were.
This would be his greatest work yet! Yes, they wouldn't be able to toss about any words other than the highest of praise! He would show them, he would show them all!
So he ground his pigments, mixing them with the binding agent, and he poured himself out onto the canvas. He held nothing back. Every heartache, every dream, it was all there for everyone to see on the canvas. Tears ran down his cheeks with every powerful stroke, every splash of paint and it seemed as if the paint wept with him the way that it dripped and ran down the canvas.
Fixated, he painted. For hours he painted, never once stopping to take a break. Not even as he felt his body weakening did he drop the paintbrush in his hand. It wasn't finished yet, and there would be time enough for rest later after he had poured out all that he had to give.
They found his body the next day – pale and empty. Devoid of life, just as they'd always claimed of his work. His face was stained with tears, but the corners of his lips were turned up into ever so faint of a smile, and, in his hand, he still grasped the paintbrush as it had made its final stroke.
In pursuit of a masterpiece, he had poured out too much.
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Thought it was time to share another entry for the story challenges at Chrons! This was my first time participating in the 300 word story challenges. The 300 word challenges are done a bit differently from the 75 word challenges in that there is no specified genre (beyond scifi/fantasy/speculative fiction) and there is no set theme. Instead, there is an image chosen that all entries must take their inspiration from (hence I didn't paint anything to go along with this one).
Hope you enjoyed reading it!