2/26/2025

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus Pileatus)

Scripture states, “Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)

It's a common sound in the woods, the relentless pecking at trees by these beautiful birds. I felt like a painting of a woodpecker in action could be a metaphor for disciplined pursuit. A visual reminder to embrace constant effort and unwavering action.

Woodpeckers peck for three reasons: to search for food, to carve out nesting cavities, or to communicate. Whatever the reason, they don’t hesitate. They don’t overthink. The woodpecker simply does what it's supposed to do. With impressive results, because when it comes to tree cavities, this bird creates the biggest and the best. Their foraging holes look as if they were carved with a chisel. Their nests, vast structures up to 75 cm deep, are architectural marvels of the avian world.

Woodpeckers succeed because they persist. They don’t let up. Their discipline yields rewards: sustenance, shelter and survival. Without discipline our dreams remain elusive fantasies. Of course, we know that discipline is not the easiest option. It demands daily commitment, the willingness to choose the right action even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. But in the end, discipline pays off. It grants us freedom. Freedom to live life on our terms, to pursue our passions, and to make a positive impact on the world.

The title Keep A-Knockin’ is intentional. It’s not about a single knock, but a continuous effort. There are no shortcuts to success, no substitutes for hard work. The woodpecker, a master carpenter, takes up to six weeks to build its nest, one peck at a time. Success is not an overnight phenomenon, but the result of small consistent actions taken day in and day out. Likewise, every painting of mine begins as a small, insignificant sketch. But with each brushstroke it transforms. It is through the accumulation of small steps that we climb mountains, transform our lives or create small paintings with big meanings. Whatever you're trying to achieve, the principle remains the same: Keep A-Knockin’.