Nothing lasts. Not the art, not the frame, not the smug sense of importance. Eventually, it all gets vandalised, washed, fixed, layered over, and repeated until you can’t tell what was original and what was just another attempt at cover-up. And honestly? That’s kind of beautiful.
Nothing’s original. There’s only remixing, reinterpreting, and resuscitating. The trick isn’t making something new, it’s making something yours. Something that grumbles in your voice, wears your boots, and carries your ghosts.
So don’t waste time chasing originality like it’s some elusive pangolin doing backflips in the underbrush. Just follow your taste. Your weird, niche, beautifully specific taste. That’s where the magic is. That’s what cuts through the noise.
And if it all crumbles tomorrow? At least we made something that felt true while it lasted.
Kids Book Illustrator Andy C Marshall 