The Manger

The Manger

Oil on Panel for 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Journal

by Ascension Press

Christ is born! In this painting, we see the newborn Jesus on a bed of hay wrapped in cloths. Mary and Joseph create a protective space for Jesus with their bodies as they rest on the hay. Jesus, the light of the world, illuminates the Holy Family against the world’s surrounding darkness. It is a touching, intimate scene of family love.

Interestingly enough, this painting has no manger—no wooden structure of hay like we are accustomed to seeing.  That is because, to God, the entire world is a manger. Our entire world is that dusty, hay-filled box with creatures and animals of all kinds. And yet, God loves us so much, that He humbled himself into our messy existence in order to bring us salvation.

I hope you have enjoyed these meditations over the past few days. May you be blessed by Emmanuel this day and in the year to come.

Merry Christmas!

Advent Delivered

Manger Sunset

Digital Illustration for 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

by Ascension Press

Sun goes down. 

Temperatures cool. 
Animals settle. 
Contractions increase. 
The baby is coming!

Body exhausted.
Far from home.
Camped in a stable.
Take a deep breath.
The baby is coming!

Wanted better conditions.
More fit for a king.
God's plan is greater.
Have to dig deep.
The baby is coming!

Promises delivered.
Prayers answered.
Love made flesh.
Pain sharpens.
The baby is coming!

Justice is coming.
Salvation is coming.
God is with us.
Time to push.
The baby is coming!

Advent Unexpected

No Room in the Inn

Digital Illustration for

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

by Ascension Press

"This was not supposed to happen." Mary may have been thinking that when they arrived at the stable. After their long journey to Bethlehem, they find the city overcrowded with no room for Joseph and his expecting wife. The only place offered to them was a back stable full of animals. This illustration shows the couple inspecting their temporary new home, and the place where the promised Son of God will be born. "Blessed are you..." the angel said months ago to Mary. The stable surely feels a far cry from being "Blessed."

This was not according to the birthing plan, I'm sure. Yet Mary and Joseph did what they had to do. This shows just how strong the two of them were. These conditions prove Mary is not all that meek and mild, but rather the bold woman who sang the Magnificat months before. The social scandal, the journey to Bethlehem, delivering the christ child in a stable—these are all examples of the hardships Mary had to overcome after saying "let it be" to God. In none of these situations would anyone consider themselves "blessed."

Blessed and easy are very different things. Mary is blessed because God is with her. No matter what the world has to throw at her, she can always find strength in God. And that strength will endure a stable birth, a flight to Egypt, parenting the christ child, and ultimately, witnessing that child's suffering and death. 

Mary's strength will eventually pave the way for us all to be "blessed" as well.

Advent Next

To Bethlehem

Digital Illustration for 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

by Ascension Press

Almost there. The destination is in sight. Mary and Joseph breathe a sigh of relief. But there is plenty of uncertainty ahead. The city is just as much a wilderness journey for them as the ninety-mile journey it took to get there. Their dependance on God which helped them survive the journey is still required for them to make it through the next few days. 

How often have we overcome one challenge, only to face another? Dependency on God is not for momentary seasons. It is a posture for a life with God. It is a life abundant in ways the world cannot quantify of imagine.

Advent Intimacy

Joseph Listens for Jesus

Digital Illustrations for 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

by Ascension Press

One of the sweetest moments during my wife's pregnancy was the privilege to rest my head on her belly and listen for our baby to kick and move. We even had a home device where we could hear the swishing of the baby's heartbeat. I suspect Joseph and Mary had similar experiences. These two images, show an intimate family scene. Joseph rests his head on Mary and listens for Jesus as Mary lovingly runs her fingers through Joseph's hair.

May we also pause to listen for Jesus. God desires intimate prayer with us. God wants a close communion with us, not just a one-sided list of complaints and wants. Relationship is what Emmanuel, "God with Us," is all about. God wants us to come close and listen for the heartbeat of LOVE. God want us to wait, expectantly, to feel the kick, punch and squirm of God's GRACE.

May we strive to draw nearer to God in such ways this season—and always.

Advent Encamped

Mary and Joseph Fireside

Digital Illustration for

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

by Ascension Press

The ninety-mile trip to Bethlehem was no day trip. It could have taken Mary and Joseph a week to get there. Here we see the holy family encamped for the night. They are tired and hungry. They have given their all for the journey—yet more is required. They might even be getting a little short with each other at this point. After giving so much, they need to be open to receive.

We give a lot of ourselves in these last days of Advent. Work, school exams, church events, shopping, cleaning, concerts, parties, traffic... you name it. It's been a long year and we are tired. We are ready for a break. But the holiday is not yet upon us. We need to be open to receive. Receive God's renewing spirit. Receive grace from another person. Receive gifts of patience and tolerance. We need to rest and eat from what the LORD provides. Only then will we have the strength to cary on in the work of Emmanuel.

ADVENT WIND

Journey to Bethlehem

Oil on Panel for 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Book and Video

By Ascension Press

With every birth of a new child, parents go through a uniquely powerful journey together. It’s a whirlwind of emotions, anxieties and hopes.  As I imagined Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, I could not help but wonder how their “Birth Journey” might have been like.  I imagined Mary, trying to balance on the back of a donkey while Joseph leads them both through a harsh environment. In this painting, Mary relies on Joseph for support, both physically and emotionally. Joseph walks boldly and steadfast. Internally, however, he may be full of fears and anxieties of his own. Both of them showing their resilience, their trust in God, and the loving support they have for each other.

In this painting there are two, personally, favorite moments. The first one is Mary’s hand on Joseph’s shoulder. It’s such a sweet moment that brings the both of them together in a very loving way. The other moment is the blowing wind. The wind not only alludes to the harsh adversity of their experience, but it also hints to the presence of the Holy Spirit as they journey together.

Advent Embarking

Mary and Joseph Embark for Bethlehem

Digital Illustration for

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

By Ascension Press

The journey will not be easy. In this scene, Mary and Joseph begin their travel to Bethlehem. Mary appears uncertain and apprehensive, yet trusting. Joseph shows his empathy and support—his hand on her back to keep her steady and comfortable. They are in this journey together. Whatever challenges lies ahead, they will face together. They are traveling out of obedience to the laws of the land. Little do they know, they will be fulfilling prophecy as well.

Advent Change

Joseph Speaks with Mary

Digital Illustration for

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

by Ascension Press

With Mary being full term, I would suspect that traveling to Bethlehem for a Roman census was the last thing Mary wanted to do. This scene depicts Joseph breaking the news to Mary about the journey they will soon have to endure. There is a tenderness among them that reveals the strength of their love. The journey ahead may be dreadful, but they will endure it together by the strength of faith and love.

We can make the best plans and prepare our homes for holiday festivities, but sometimes life interrupts everything. The fragile lives we think we can control are inevitably subject to the chaos of life. We need to be flexible enough to let go of our plans and react in faith for whatever life throws at us. And we need to be able to share each other's burdens with grace and love for each other.

Advent Unborn

Jesus Hears Mary's Song

Digital Illustration For

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Companion Video

By Ascension Press

Advent is a time of waiting. But we don't wait for just abstract ideas, hopes and dreams. We wait for a person, Jesus. We wait for "God with Us," the Word made Flesh who will laugh with us, cry with us, hold our hands, guide us, and ultimately, save us.

This is a follow-up image from yesterday where Mary sings to Jesus. This image shows Jesus hearing Mary's song. I am so thankful that Ascension Press asked for this image to be rendered. It was a real challenge and I have never really seen anyone attempt to portray the Christ Child BEFORE his birth. Most importantly, working on this picture reminded me of the humanity of Jesus and his total dependency on his family. 

God humbled and poured out in such a way is hard to imagine. I hope this uncommon portrait of Jesus helps you to ponder in that mystery in your own heart—if even for just a little while.

Advent Song

Mary Sings to Jesus

Digital Illustration For

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary 

By Ascension Press

The holiday season is a rich time of singing. Through Advent, I relish the ancient hymns of promise and enjoy the singing of carrols. Even the radio offers channels overflowing with holiday classics new and old to get us all in the Christmas Spirit.

What kinds of songs would expectant Mary have sung to Jesus? Perhaps some of the ancient psalms and songs from scripture. Perhaps inspired original compositions like the Magnificat. I find it helpful to think of Mary singing as I sing the songs of the season. Imagining Mary helps me remember that I am singing to a person, Emmanuel, "God with Us."

During this season, we all sing of hope not yet fully realized and promises not yet fulfilled. But we also sing to Jesus—the Messiah who was and is and is yet to come. Let us raise our voices to Him in hope and joy.

Advent Waiting

Mary Waiting

Digital Illustration For 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Video Series

Waiting is at the core of the season of Advent. We wait for Christmas. We wait to celebrate Christ's birth. We wait for family to come and visit. We wait for end of the year bonuses or new beginnings in the new year. But in an instant gratification culture such as ours, it is all the more important to wait.

As an expectant mother, Mary waits for all kinds of things. In this illustration, Mary takes a break from daily chores of getting water to wait. She waits for Joseph to come home for the day. She waits for her strength to renew to finish the journey home. She waits for the birth of Jesus. 

Whatever it is that you are waiting for, recognize the importance of the waiting. May we let go of our instant expectations, put down our time-pacifying smartphones and just wait. Let us Trust in God's time and sovereignty in our lives. 

Let us wait. 

Advent Rest

Mary Reclining

Digital Illustration For 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Companion Video

This was a digital illustration or the Rejoice! series companion video. In this illustration, Mary rests in the morning while contemplating and embracing the Holy child she carries.

The Christmas season is full of hustle and bustle. In addition to our already busy schedules, we cram in gift buying, parties and other holiday traditions. Advent, however, is a time of preparation and waiting. May we never forget to pause and rest during the Advent season. May we take time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ.

The Visitation

8x10 Oil on Panel

For Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Published by Ascension Press

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary Visits Elizabeth

I like to think of this painting as a baby shower of grace. As Mary and Elizabeth meet, the Spirit of God showers them with gifts of assurance, prophecy, joy, hope, and encouragement. These are exactly the gifts and blessings the two mothers need to carry on towards the challenges that lie ahead.

The Annunciation

8x10 Oil on Panel

Interior Illustration for Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

The Angel Gabriel Visits Mary.

“Do not be afraid.” The angel said to Mary. This painting meditates on the intimate conversation between the angel and the virgin after those words were spoken. In this painting, the angel, Gabriel, interrupts Mary in her daily chores to announce that she will give birth to Jesus. Gabriel’s glow not only reveals his glory, but also, like a candle’s light, brings a comforting glow of grace to Mary. Although appearing small and modest, Mary stands comfortably in the angel’s presence—listening to his every word. The painting is a balance of miraculous wonder and prayer-like peace.

This painting is also about vessels. The two vases on the floor represent the Law and the Prophets. Mary, a vessel herself for Christ, holds a basket representing our Savior, Jesus—God poured out for the entire world.

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary is a devotional journal and video series published by Ascension Press. To purchase the journal and art prints of this painting, visit: shop.ascensionpress.com/collections/rejoice

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Recently, I was blessed to have the opportunity to paint illustrations for Ascension Press. The artwork was for a devotional guide called Rejoice, Advent Meditations with Mary by Fr. Mark Toups. The meditation guide focused on several key stories in the life of Mary leading up to the birth of Christ. The stories were: Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary, Mary’s visit with Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, and the Holy Family at the nativity. Each composition was a truly prayerful and meaningful experience. 

In addition to the devotional guide paintings, Ascension beautifully made a companion video series. The series is full of meditations and prayers centered around Mary’s story. For the video, I had the opportunity to create digital illustrations to be shown during the prayerful meditations.

It has been an honor to illustrate Mary’s story. I hope you enjoy these special paintings and take a moment to reflect on the story of the Blessed Mother, her faithful husband and the advent of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

I will be posting more images from this series and giving you my reflections on them soon.

Click HERE to order 

• Prints of my Rejoice paintings 

• The meditation journal & videos 

• Get FREE iPhone background art

Holy Family

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 3

One of my resolutions for this year is to make more paintings of biblical stories and faith-based themes—what I like to call "illuminations." Painting illuminations was where my painting career began and I'm feeling a strong calling to return to my roots. 

Still in the spirit of Christmas, today's painting depicts Joseph, Mary and a toddler Jesus walking though town. In my opinion, the art world doesn't have enough child Jesus portraits. There are tons of infant Jesus paintings, and plenty of adult ones. To me, a child Jesus, toddling around, is a great way to see the humanity of Christ. After seeing a great painting of a child Jesus in the local paper at Christmas, I decided to take a shot at painting one of my own.

The family is out for a walk. They could be going to the market or to the synagogue for worship. Perhaps they are just out for a little fresh air—allowing Jesus to see the world with his fresh little eyes. Where they go is up to you. The real point is that they are taking the time to go together as a family. The parents are patiently slowing down to walk with the young Jesus, barely able to stand on his own two feet. 

I titled this painting "Holy Family." What makes the family holy, really? Is it because Jesus is in their lives? Is it because they have faith in God? Perhaps. But are they uniquely different from other families? No. I would contend that most families could be considered "holy." 

Families today, traditional or otherwise, share the same qualities as Jesus' family. When a parent, or parents, lovingly teaches a child to understand right from wrong—that's holy. When parents slow down with patience to connect with their children—that's holy. When a family spends quality time together—even if it's via FaceTime from half a world away—that's holy. When we go to worship—that's holy. Even a loving couple without children can be a holy family. Wherever there is love, there is God. Any relationship with God in their lives is a holy family.

I hope you take some time to reflect with this painting and think about all that is holy in your life. 

Nativity: Mary

5"x7" Oil on Canvas

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." 
—Luke 2:19


This week's reflection on the Nativity is focused on Mary. Like Joseph, how unfathomable must have been her thoughts, joys and concerns about mothering the Christ child. We know a bit more about Mary from the Gospels. We know of her beautiful song in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke (See my previous posting on the Magnificat). We know that she followed Jesus' ministry to the cross—and the resurrection. Of all of the passages about Mary in the scriptures, Luke 2:19 is my favorite. 

How we parents love to brag about our children. My facebook page is full of proud parent moments. How tempting it must have been for Mary to share the wonders her miraculous child. Even as the shepherds confirm the miracle of Emmanuel, Mary kept it all as treasures in her heart. 

The Iona community has a wonderful poem about the thoughts Mary could have been pondering in her heart:

What is this seed that God has planted,
unasked, uncompromised, unseen?
Unknown to everyone but angels
this gift has been.

And who am I to be the mother,
to give my womb at heaven’s behest,
to let my body be the hospice
and God the guest?

Oh, what a risk in such a nation,
in such a place, at such a time,
to come to people in transition
and yet in prime.

What if the baby I embody
should enter life deformed or strange,
unable to be known as normal,
to thrive or change?

What if the world, for spite, ignores him,
and friends keep back and parents scorn,
and every fear of every woman
in me is born?

Still, I will want to love and hold him,
his cry attend, his smile applaud.
I’ll mother him as any mortal,
and just like God.

Iona Community. Cloth for the Cradle: Worship Resources and Readings for Advent. Christmas and Epiphany. Wild Goose Resources Group. 1997.


May we treasure up the Word of God and ponder the mystery of Emmanuel in our hearts.

Magnificat

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”

– Luke 1:46-55

When the expecting Mary visits her older cousin, Elizabeth, she realizes the validation of God’s promise to bring the Messiah to the world. She sings a song full of praise, prophecy and hope. It is known today as “The Magnificat.” One of my favorite musical interpretations of this song is “Holy is His Name,” by John Michael Talbot. This portrait expresses the emotions I feel when I hear that song. Many Christians sing or recite these words for morning or evening prayers. We would all benefit if we remind ourselves that God keeps His promises. We should live our days and nights in humility, service, adoration and expectation.

If you would like to hear the song that I referenced, click the linked text in this post. You may want to listen with you eyes closed as the images can be a bit distracting. Enjoy.

"My Eyes Have Seen Salvation"

OK. I know for most of us Christmas is so 2009. But for many Christian traditions, the Incarnation of Christ is still being celebrated. This piece was created to to help celebrate the Advent and Christmas season of 2009/2010 for my church. It went with a series of sermons that were themed together under the title "People of The Promise".

This painting is set in the context of a story in Luke 2:21-35 where Jesus is being presented in the temple. It is the moment when Simeon holds Jesus and gazes on The Promise fulfilled. In the background, the witnesses are other figures of Jesus’ past, present and future, who’s eyes have also “seen salvation.”

From left they are:

Jeremiah (holding a staff intertwined with a vine sprouting a new shoot)

John the Baptist (placing a comforting hand on the shoulder of his mother)

Elizabeth

Mary (looking motherly towards Jesus. She also leans slightly towards Elizabeth hinting at a sense of closeness that only they can share.)

Joseph

Simeon (hunched over to bring the baby Jesus into view of his weary, aging eyes)

I love how this juxtaposes the timeline of events around Jesus. I also love the intergenerational nature of this piece. And when you think about it, this piece also has a lot of baptismal significance.

The story of Simeon is one of my favorite Christmas stories. But it is seldom read in worship. I think that is a major reason why I like it so much. When the rest of the world has had their fill of mangers and shepherds, it's nice to know there are still some Christmas surprises left in the scriptures.