Holy Mother & Child

Holy Mother & Child

8"x10" Oil on Panel

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What was Mary like as a mother? What was Jesus like as a toddler? These are some questions that I love to explore with imagination and creativity. 

 I imagine Mary to be patient and understanding with Jesus. She had to raise a young child while attending the daily chores of a first century Jewish wife. I would imagine her to be inclusive, and allow her child to explore and discover the wonders of the World.

 I imagine a toddler Jesus to be inquisitive and full of joy. Like most toddlers, Jesus might have been very curious and playful. He might have wanted to participate in his mother's busy life.

 In honor of Mother's day, I have painted a scene illustrating what Mary and Jesus might have been like together in those days. 

 In this painting, Mary is tending to the daily chore of making bread for the family. As she shapes the dough into small loaves, she lovingly lets Jesus "help". In typical toddler fasion, Jesus plays with the dough. He pulls the dough appart and lifts it up to the light as if he is offering thanks and breaking bread. Perhaps he is mimicking their family traditions around the dinner table. 

 The water jar next to Mary alludes to Jesus' first miracle where He turns jars of water into wine—a unique and intimate story which gives us insight into their relationship.

 I hope you enjoy this little work of imaginative play. It is my way celebrating all mothers and expressing gratitude for their sacrifice, patience, and love.

 Happy Mother's Day!

Embarking for Bethlehem

Oil on Panel for 

"Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Joseph" Journal
by Ascension Press

Mary and Joseph loved each other. The Incarnation in Mary's womb did not change that fact. For many couples, pregnancy is a mixed-bag of stresses and joys. I'm sure Joseph and Mary were no exception. They shared a bond and an experience like no other couple on earth. That experience could have overwhelmed them and separated them. But Mary and Joseph's strong love for each other, and for God, strengthened their union. It was that strength that enabled them to make the long journey to a Bethlehem stable and bear the Christ child.
In this painting for Ascension Press, we see Mary and Joseph preparing to embark for Bethlehem. As Joseph helps Mary onto the donkey, they pause for a brief moment to gaze into each others eyes and remember their love. The stress of pregnancy, the responsibilities of parenthood, the census, the journey ahead, all go away for a moment. They pause, their hearts flutter, and they smile—because they know that love endures all things.

Transfiguration

8"x10" 

Oil on Panel with Palette Knife

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Luke 9:28-36

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 

And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became 

dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared 

in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 

Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, 

they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, 

Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, 

one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, 

a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 

When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days 

told no one any of the things they had seen.

Miracle Catch

11x14 

Oil on Panel

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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.

Mirror Dim

8x10 

Oil on Panel

Available Here

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

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

Arise and Walk

8"x8" 

Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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Another abstract from the Gospel of John. This time from John Chapter 5.

Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes.  In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

This painting depicts the mystery of the healing itself. When people are healed by Jesus, they are completely made whole. Their bodies, their emotional well-being, their status in society... everything. So the painting explores all of those other things that are being made whole in the healed man.

From Water to Wine

8"x8" 

Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

I really enjoy painting abstract of Jesus' miracles. In the Gospel of John, there are no parables from Jesus. Rather, John uses the miracles as parabolic signs of God's kingdom. Painting these miracles in abstract form creates space for the mystery inherent in the miracle to take root in a more contemplative way.

O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion

8"x10"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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An Abstract Expression from Handel's Messiah
O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion,
get thee up into the high mountain:
O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up thy voice with strength;
lift it up, be not afraid;
say unto the cities of Judah,
Behold you God!
Arise, shine, for thy light is come,
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

And He Shall Purify

8"x10"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

An Abstract Expression from Handel's Messiah
And He Shall Purify

And He shall purify the sons of Levi, 
That they may offer unto the Lord an
Offering in righteousness.
(Malachi 3:3)

Comfort Ye, My People

6"x6"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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An Abstract Expression from Handel's Messiah
Comfort Ye, My People

Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. 
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, 
That her warfare is accomplished, 
That her Iniquity is pardoned. 
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness
Prepare ye the way of the Lord. 
Make straight in the desert a highway 
For our God. 
(Isaiah 40:1-3)

Wait for the Lord

One of the greatest gifts the season of Advent gives to the church is the gift of waiting. As our attention spans shrink and our cravings for instant gratification grow, the more we need waiting space in our lives. Waiting is a gift that fills us with blessings. Waiting blesses us with hope, wonder, patience and self-control.

This year’s Advent art is an abstract depiction of a dawning morning. It is that moment when the sky glows in soft, low light, but the sun has not yet revealed itself over the horizon. That’s how if feel about waiting for God to act in my life. I feel like I’m never alone, but rather surrounded by God’s presence like dimmed, soft, pre-dawn light. I wait for a fully revealed sunrise over the horizon. The metaphor is also quite true for Christian Advent waiting. We live in the pre-dawn light of Emmanuel while we wait for the full light of Christ’s return.

Accept the gift of waiting this season. Let us slow our rhythms for a fuller experience of time and discernment. Let us enjoy the gifts of wonder, hope and patience. Let us walk towards the horizon in the soft, dim light. God is faithful and will answer our prayers. And sooner or later, the day will come.

Sunlight Trio

6"x6"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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Here's a more representational painting form the lake. This one is of three sunlit hay bales across from us.

Late Light

5"x7"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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I finally made it back to the lake this summer. I took the opportunity to paint both impressionistic and abstract expressionistic styles. Here's one that is somewhere in-between. it was painted in the late evening as the sun quickly set.

Sea and Sky II

8"x10"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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Another plein air painting from Florida. This one was made near sunset.

Horsing Around: Spring Graze

6"x6"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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Another plein air study from the farm 

while my daughter practices her rising lessons.

Make plans to come and see my latest work

at the Franklin Art Scene, 
at Shuffs Music  on Friday, May 5

6 to 9 pm.

40 Days: Day 23: Beacons of Resilience

8"x10"
Oil on Panel

Plein air with Palette Knife

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Painting from life is a great way to meditate on the world around you. To notice the colors and the structures in our beautiful world is such a blessing. This final painting from Saint Joseph, Michigan was painted plein air on the beach with freezing temperatures and gusty winds. It was enough to make the effort nothing less than pure adventure. The lighthouse in this painting was the location from where the two previous paintings were made. By this time, the winds had picked up greatly and huge swells crashed against the pier.  I could not help but be impressed by the strength of those structures to withstand such harsh conditions. 

Special thanks to my brother-in-law, my host and invaluable assistant, for blocking the winds from knocking my easel over.  I hope to visit this beautiful place again... preferably in the warmer months.

40 Days: Day 22: Michigan Dunes

6"x6"
Oil on Panel

Plein air with Palette Knife

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The wind picked up and the temperature dropped to around 32 Degrees. Waves began to splash up on the North Pier and spray my easel with cold lake water. This was a struggle to finish, but it was so much fun!

40 Days: Day 20: Michigan Coast

8"x10"
Oil on Panel

Plein air with Palette Knife

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Switching gears for a bit in my 40 paintings. I took some time while on "Spring Break" in Saint Joseph Michigan to do some plein air painting. It was chilly and windy on the north pier, but it was a beautiful day to paint. 

40 Days: Day 14: You Are Light

6"x6"
Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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Matthew 5:14-16

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.