- Emmanuel Akolo
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- It's The Hard Things
It's The Hard Things (2022)Acrylic painting
by Emmanuel Akolo
£363.95
Original artwork description
I created It's The Hard Things to serve as a visual manifesto on the necessity of discipline and the transformative power of choosing the difficult path. The composition features a tight, high-contrast crop of a man's face, his steady gaze fixed on a point beyond the frame, paired with the minimalist symbol of red dumbbells. This work explores the philosophy that the "hard way" is often the only way toward true growth; by consistently doing the hard things, we force our reality and our very existence to adjust and expand.
In this piece, I used bold, expressive ochres and deep shadows to emphasize the physical and mental toll of endurance. The stark, neutral background strips away all distractions, leaving only the subject and the tools of his labor. I want to honor the quiet, daily grit required to build resilience, celebrating the individual who understands that mastery over oneself is the ultimate key to navigating any situation life presents.
Materials used:
Acrylic On Canvas
Details:
- Acrylic painting on Canvas
- One of a kind artwork
- Size: 40.64 x 50.8 x 2.54cm / 40.64 x 50.8cm (actual image size)
- Signed on the front
- Style: Expressive and gestural
- Subject: People and portraits
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Original artwork description
I created It's The Hard Things to serve as a visual manifesto on the necessity of discipline and the transformative power of choosing the difficult path. The composition features a tight, high-contrast crop of a man's face, his steady gaze fixed on a point beyond the frame, paired with the minimalist symbol of red dumbbells. This work explores the philosophy that the "hard way" is often the only way toward true growth; by consistently doing the hard things, we force our reality and our very existence to adjust and expand.
In this piece, I used bold, expressive ochres and deep shadows to emphasize the physical and mental toll of endurance. The stark, neutral background strips away all distractions, leaving only the subject and the tools of his labor. I want to honor the quiet, daily grit required to build resilience, celebrating the individual who understands that mastery over oneself is the ultimate key to navigating any situation life presents.
Materials used:
Acrylic On Canvas
Details:
- Acrylic painting on Canvas
- One of a kind artwork
- Size: 40.64 x 50.8 x 2.54cm / 40.64 x 50.8cm (actual image size)
- Signed on the front
- Style: Expressive and gestural
- Subject: People and portraits

