Commission Painting: Ignite

Ignite, 36″W x 24″H, Acrylic on Canvas, is a unique and rewarding commission project. It’s a visual story reflecting views on freedom, the American Revolution and Crispus Attucks.

This painting was created as a commission for Seamus Corcoran, a native Bostonian whose deep connection to history shaped every stage of the process. From the very beginning, this project felt personal — not just a request for a painting, but an invitation to translate conviction and belief into something tangible. That responsibility carried weight, and it pushed the work beyond surface-level aesthetics into something more intentional and emotionally grounded.

Crispus Attucks stands at the heart of Ignite, not only as a historical figure, but as a symbol of sacrifice and unresolved struggle. As the first casualty of the American Revolution, Attucks represents both the birth of freedom and the contradictions embedded within it. Painting him meant sitting with that tension — the bravery, the injustice, and the legacy that still echoes today.

Throughout the process, I focused on creating energy rather than perfection. The brushwork, color choices, and movement were driven by emotion — anger, pride, urgency, and hope all layered into the canvas. At times the work felt raw and unpolished, but that honesty became essential. History itself is not clean, and Ignite needed to reflect that truth rather than soften it.

The commission process with Seamus Corcoran was collaborative and trusting, allowing space for interpretation rather than strict direction. That freedom made it possible to explore deeper symbolism and to let the painting evolve organically.

Like many creative projects, not every step was documented. In fact, part of the process went unrecorded when a phone died mid-painting — an unplanned reminder that some of the most important moments in art-making happen without witnesses. Those quiet hours alone with the canvas often became the most transformative, where intention solidified into action.

For Seamus, Ignite is more than a commissioned artwork. It’s a reflection of personal values, cultural roots, and a lifelong fascination with the stories that built America — especially the stories that are too often overlooked. Seeing the finished painting installed is a reminder that art can serve as both mirror and challenge, honoring history while demanding we look closer at it.

Ultimately, Ignite represents why commission work matters. It’s where art becomes dialogue — between artist and client, past and present, freedom promised and freedom earned. This painting doesn’t offer easy answers, but it does what powerful art should do: it asks us to feel, to remember, and to keep questioning.

Watch the project time lapse of Ignite on Instragram or TikTok. To book a commission with Matt Brozovich click here.