A local artist is definitely taking a glass half full approach to things, after his painting was swiped from its display at the San Mateo County Fair.

According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, it took Belmont artist Cameron Mazza over 20 hours to create "Tension," the painting you see above. It took a thief just moments to undo all that work, when the artwork was stolen "Sunday night or on Monday during takedown" at the San Mateo County Fair, where it was on exhibition.

San Mateo Event Center’s interim General Manager Dana Stoehr tells the Daily Journal that "Tension" and a second, unspecified artwork that was also stolen at the fair were "secured on displays using zip ties" and guarded by "plenty of security guards and other individuals on hand."

Yet somehow, the painting, which had been safely displayed at the downtown San Mateo Philz Coffee with a price tag of $750, was absconded with by some aspiring wire-cutter-wielding Thomas Crown. This left the 23-year-old Mazza "definitely upset," but he's still trying to look on the bright side, as “In a weird way, I’m kind of flattered the painting was stolen."

And he has good reason to feel optimistic, as Mazza says that a Reddit post he did on the theft inspired the owner of an art gallery in San Francisco to contact the artist about showing his work.

But still, Mazza says, though he's trying to stay positive, he's still bummed by the loss.

"Tension" is "super personal to me. It’s one of my favorites," he told the Daily Journal.

"I doubt I will get it back, but it’s worth a shot."