One of my teachers is an accomplished painter as well as being a 7 dan. In mid-December he chooses a theme for the following years keiko and paints a picture illustrating it and hangs it in the dojo. The painting is always bright, positive, and sports the following years animal zodiac.
This one is from 2007. It reads:
自ら燃えなければ火はつかない.
Translated liberally into literal English:
If you can’t fire yourself up, then your flame will never catch light
I will leave it for you to decide your own interpretation.
That’s a great image George, love it. Wish it was bigger… b