Miracle Catch

11x14 

Oil on Panel

Click Here to Purchase

Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in 

on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen 

had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one 

belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down 

and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 

"Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, 

"Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will 

let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were 

beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. 

And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, 

he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" 

For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 

and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. 

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." 

When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

40 Days: Day 33: Touched

11"x14"
Oil on Canvas

Commissioned

Luke 8:43-48

Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

This is a commissioned painting of one of my favorite stories. Thought the gospels, Jesus heals in many different ways. Sometimes with just a command, sometimes long distance, sometimes tactually and deliberately. But this time, the miracle was performed unconsciously. The woman touched Jesus, from behind, among a crowd of people. She was healed instantly. Then, Jesus does something remarkable. He sensed power leaving from him. He turned around to inquire about it. The power of God in Jesus was something real and physical enough for Jesus to sense it at work—and it was beyond his own control.

God was at work in Jesus without Jesus even knowing it until after the fact. This is a fascinating twist in the story for me.  To me, it means that Jesus was so much an instrument of God's grace ("Touched by God" if you will), that God was able to work miracles through him beyond his own actions. Have you ever tried so hard to make something go right for God? A ministry, goal or charitable effort? Sometimes they work great. Sometimes they fail. But then there are those times when something seems to go wonderfully right for God  and we had nothing to do with it—perhaps even in spite of anything we did. That is an amazing interaction. 

In the painting, The woman touches Jesus among the crowd of people. Both Jesus and the woman are highlighted so subtly that it is easy for the crowd (and the viewer) to miss. The power is real, as illustrated in the painting. But it may be only noticeable to those who have the faith to realize it. 

Miracles can happen, unexpectedly, in the most unlikely of circumstances. You are an instrument of God for the world. We are all called to serve in ways both great and small. But always remember that we belong to God. God can use us for the kingdom when we don't even know it. 

Now that is Grace.

Angel

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

COMMISSIONED

Today's post is a commissioned portrait of Angel, a horse at the barn where my daughter rides. Fall is here—which is a great time to commission a portrait or conceptual painting from me. To order a commission, simply email me and we'll discuss the details.

40 Days: Day 11: Isaiah 61

11"x14" Oil on Deep Edged Canvas

with Palette Knife
Click Here to Purchase

Isaiah 61: 1-2

The Good News of Deliverance

1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
    to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and release to the prisoners;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;

40 Days: Day 4: Psalm 139—The Inescapable God

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Psalm 139

The Inescapable God

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from your spirit?
    Or where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
    if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning
    and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light around me become night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is as bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

13 For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
15     My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
    all the days that were formed for me,
    when none of them as yet existed.
17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
    I come to the end—I am still with you.

19 O that you would kill the wicked, O God,
    and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—
20 those who speak of you maliciously,
    and lift themselves up against you for evil!
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
    I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is any wicked way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Lavender

11x14

Oil on Canvas

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Starting the new year off with a touch of spring. 

Anthem

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

Commissioned

Happy New Year! Since it is the new year, I can now safely share some of my holiday commissions with you. This abstract was commissioned as a gift for a choral director. Simply titled "Anthem" I tried to convey all of the colors and textures one might find in a good choral presentation. 

Lake View

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 14 

Another view from Tims Ford Lake. I have made several other paintings of this view, but to date,  this is my largest plein-air attempt at this location. 

Witness Tree

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

“Reflections: 150 Years Later,” 

Art Show Benefiting The Battle of Franklin Trust

This year, I have joined a plein air painters alliance called The Chestnut Group. A portion of the group’s sales are donated to the preservation of fragile local environments and historical properties. This painting is for an upcoming show benefiting The Battle of Franklin Trust.

On November 30, 1864, the Civil War came to Franklin with great cost. One of the key locations in this tragedy is the Carnton plantation which served as the area’s largest army field hospital. 

This tree, on the adjacent property of Windermere, witnessed the horrific events of that terrible day.  Its curved trunk, twisted branches, knots, holes and fallen top bear witness to a long life of moments—both joyous and tragic. Trees like this have many stories to tell, and are living monuments to events we should never forget.

If you are in the area, come and see the show and meet the wonderful and very talented Chestunts.

Mother & Child

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

COMMISSIONED

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge: January—Day 28

Sometimes when I finish a painting, I feel a sense of gratitude to have been able to be a part of the subject's beauty. It is a joy and honor to have the opportunity to express this beautiful moment with my art. This portrait's true power is love.

Racing to Resurrection

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

SOLD

In Luke’s account of Jesus’ resurrection, the women were the first to discover the empty tomb. They ran back to tell the disciples—most of whom discounted their story. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb to see for himself. 

This painting shows Peter racing to the tomb on that early morning. Burdened with a cloak of shame and guilt from Jesus’ death, Peter is fueled by hope. Hope that his beloved Jesus is not dead. Hope that brokenness can be mended. Hope that forgiveness can be given. Hope that The Way will continue.

May we all run with that Easter hope. 

May we get up every morning and race to find our living LORD.