What can you do?

It is the Autumn of 1830, acclaimed French painter Eugène Delacroix writes to his brother;

"My bad mood is vanishing thanks to hard work. I've embarked on a modern subject—a barricade. And if I haven't fought for my country at least I'll paint for her"

That painting would become 'Liberty leading the people' perhaps one of the most influential works of revolutionary art and iconography ever created. Its imagery and influence so powerful that it is said to have inspired everything from the creation of Hugo's 'Les Misérables.' to the form of the Statue of Liberty.

Its has been taken up by a myriad of revolutionary causes and subjugated peoples around the world. In İzler's 1933 artwork 'On the Path to Revolution' direct homage is paid to it to it, meanwhile in 1971 an adapted version of the artwork was used to commemorate Irelands struggle for independence.

It is in short an incredibly influential work, transcending time and language, made so impactful by just how aptly it captures the notion of a peoples struggle and the overcoming of an oppressor.

And it wouldn't have existed if Delacroix had simply wallowed in that bad mood. If he had been cowed by those who did not respect nor understand that there are more ways to fight than physically. If he had surrendered to hopelessness, swept aside his paint as mere material, and said "what good is a painting when the people struggle" we would not have this work to lift us.

We would not have this revolution, this inspiration, preserved on canvas, a font from which many have and many more still will drink. The soldiers who marched singing in to the white house governors banquet would not have such strong words upon their lips. Lady liberties form would be so vastly diminished, as to im sure would swathes of other creation.

So when faced with the insurmountable, the impossible, when you break, when rage makes you wish to throw your brushes aside, rip the canvas, or delete the document, because what on earth could you possibly do? Remember you can create, and there is never any telling just what that creation may become, or what more will come from it.