Psalm 23, The Lord Is My Shepherd

36"x36"x1.5"
Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Sometimes, I get a image in my head so strong that I cannot rest until it is painted. 
This is another painting inspired by the music of  John Rutter's Requiem. 

The text is Psalm 23. 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
     he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
     he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
    thy rod and thy staff,
    they comfort me.

 Thou preparest a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil,
    my cup overflows.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    for ever.

Although the psalm is full of many beautiful and powerful images, I tend to gravitate to imagine a pastoral vista of green fields and running streams. This is a completely inspired work. I had no visual references when I painted it. It is completely from an image in my head—molded and shaped on canvas as the painting evolved. I recalled experiences plein air painting and combined them with a new loose abstraction I've been developing. 

What really changes this painting from a pastoral scene to a work of theology is the light in the sky. It is not unlike my very first painting in this blog, And The Spirit of God Moved over the Waters. The light represents God and God's outpouring of grace (my cup overflows). That "overflowing" is the stream running towards the viewer. The painting is an impression of the peace and serenity the comes with "dwelling in the house of the LORD, forever." A peace that not only will be enjoy in the future, but one that is ever present here and now.

Color Garden

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Spring is such a beautiful time for plein air painting. Today's painting comes from the Color Garden at Cheekwood. 

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Foggy Mountain River

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 25

I just love rushing mountain rivers. Today's painting comes from one foggy morning in the Great Smokey Mountains.

Retreat

8"x10" Oil on Canvas Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

We all could use a little break—some time away from our every-day responsibilities. For me, the best retreat is to be outdoors near water. The gentle breezes, the warm sunlight, the sound of cascading water—they all renew me and bring my soul closer to the heartbeat of God. 

In my life, there is a special place for retreat. It is Camp NaCoMe, in Pleasntville, TN. Our family goes there for camps and church retreats annually. This year's spring retreat was all about embracing God's gifts. I am thankful to God for so many gifts. Like a running stream, God's grace continues to run over our pebbled hearts. God's gifts to us are abundant and freely given.

This is a plein-air painting of the creek that runs through the heart of Camp NaCoMe. It is a reminder to me of just how revitalizing it is to unplug from our technology and connect with our loving, giving, living God.

Smoky Mountain Stream

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 27.

A friend told me I should paint rocky streams form the Appalachians. Her suggestion reminded me of how much I love to paint rocks and water. Today's painting is from an image of a stream I took while hiking in the Smokey Mountains. I have painted it before with brushes, but this one is with the palette knife. Either way, I feel these mossy rocks are calling me back to to the mountains to paint plein air someday.

The Cave

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 8.

One of the great things about the 30 in 30 Challenge is that you get opportunities to explore subjects you wouldn't normally paint. I came across this cave in Alabama last summer and thought it would make a nice painting some day. I happen to love caves. For me, caves are comforting, quiet places full of hidden wonders.