Time to read: Just over 2 minutes

Naked Leader Week 1004 – 19 December 2022

If there is one thing we all need in the world this Christmas, and in 2023 – its Hope – for ourselves, for each other and for our beautiful, precious and only world.

Lucy Marks has been an artist, a friend and a giver of hope, for many years. And it has indeed taken her many, many years to achieve an ultimate ambition for all artists – to have a piece displayed at The Royal Academy in London.

And so, as an aspiring young artist in 2004, she submitted a piece…
…it was not successful

Undeterred, Lucy submitted another in 2005
Nope!

And then she simply gave up, after all, how many times is it worth banging your head against a brick building?

On no she didn’t…year after year, as her art flourished with success elsewhere, The Royal Academy received, reviewed and rejected her – each time different – submissions – 2006,7,8,9,10,11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21…

And then, in 2022, after 18 years of ‘no thank you’, and out of 16,500 entries, her large oil Golden Dawn was accepted for their summer exhibition  ‘Golden Dawn – across to Tillington Monument, Petworth’ oil 1.2m x 2m 

I asked Lucy why she never gave up, what hope she has for people who have a dream, and if she would be kind enough to share, exclusively for this blog, a new Christmas piece…

1. “Why didn’t you give up?”
Lucy: “because if I gave up on my dream, how would I sleep at night, ever again?”

2. “What single piece of advice would you give to anyone reading this, who has a dream in life?”
Lucy: “Never, ever give up, of course. The moment when you have given up all hope of achieving your dream, is the very moment that you will be closest to your breakthrough”

3. And the picture above is Lucy in front of her Christmas painting

Lucy, I know all the rejections, hardships and pain you have been through – your story is a massive inspiration of hope to me and to thousands, just what we need when we set out on our own adventures in 2023.

With my love and best wishes and a very happy Christmas and New Year to you all – as usual we will be making a donation to The Prince’s Trust charity instead of sending cards – NL Week back on Monday 9th January with some leadership/business predictions for 2023.

David

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PS For more on Lucy:
Instagram: @lucy_marks_art
Facebook: Lucy Marks Art
Twitter: @marks_lucy
Website: www.lucymarks.co.uk
Email: lmarksart@gmail.com