“Sympathy For The Devil” by Mia Makila, 2010 – acrylic on canvas

In 2010 I was invited to participate in a group show in Culver City, California – but I hesitated a long time before I agreed to do it, because I was deep into the struggles of my creativity blockage and in a new depression because of it.

When I started to work on “Sympathy For The Devil” I soon felt how I was struggling with the style, composition and with self doubting. I wasn’t having fun, I was in a war with myself.

Working on “Sympathy For The Devil” in 2010.

I couldn’t seem to get it right. It lacked the playfulness and the energy I always see in my paintings. I felt dissatisfied. But I kept struggling; painting, changing, painting, changing…

I wasn’t pleased with the result (first image in this post), but I thought it was good enough to send.

But the troubles with this painting didn’t end there.

Shipping day! Here are I am on my way to ship “Sympathy To The Devil” to the USA.

After I had sent the painting on its way to the States, I received some devastating news from the gallery.

“Sympathy For The Devil” had been totally destroyed in the shipping process! I was crushed!

These are the pictures the gallery sent:

After I’d overcome the shock, I started to work on a new painting to send, I had to start over with a new idea – but I kept the style of it. The result was “Little Grace With Killer Doll”:

And it made it safely to the States and the gallery. But I never saw “Sympathy For The Devil” again.