New Heaven and New Earth

St John's Church, Bilton, Harrogate, North Yorkshire

Several weeks ago, I got an email form a woman living in North Yorkshire. She wanted permission to use my painting, "Emmaus Road" as inspiration for her church's Easter art project. 

The "Easter" club and "Smelly Yellow Welly" club of St John's Church Bilton, Harrogate, learned all about the disciples adventures after Easter. The clubs consisted of 100 5-11 year olds and around 40 teenagers looking after the children with 50 adults involved in games, crafts and artwork.

This is a photo of their finished art. It is a large canvas 10ft tall by 5ft wide. The children painted the background and the fabric trees. They then stuck the trees and bushes on and added tissue paper leaves. The figures have tissue paper stuck on to give it a look of paint.

This is why I love doing what I do. God has given humanity a precious gift, CREATIVITY. With this gift we are able to contemplate concepts of God, Love and Grace. We are capable of creating beautiful works of art. We are able to create and technology which allows us to share our ideas with others anywhere in the world. It truly is a glimpse of "A New Heaven and A New Earth."

Whatever your gifts are, use them for the Kingdom of God. You will be amazed with the results.

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. 

It Is Well with My Soul

9"x12" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

SOLD

Here is another installment of my abstract series based on Christian hymns. This song has a very moving story behind it. You can read about it by clicking here.

It Is Well with My Soul

Horatio G. Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

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What Wondrous Love Is This

8"x10" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife
SOLD

And now for something completely different. After exploring impressionism with the 30 days challenge, I have decided to switch to abstraction for a season—specifically the season of Lent. Over the next few weeks of Lent, I hope to paint abstracts based on christian hymns. I have always wanted to paint expressions of hymns. Since hymns have an artistic beauty of their own, I dare not get too literal with my painting. Therefore, I have decided to paint abstracts to express the emotions I have when engaged with the hymns. 


What Wondrous Love Is This
American Folk Hymn

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

A Midsummer's Eve

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife
$50.00 + Shipping

Click HERE to Purchase

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 30.

Summer evenings are magical times. As the setting sun casts cool colors on the countryside, the fireflies come out to play. This is a 6x6 version of a favorite painting I made this past summer. It think it is a fitting image to end this 30 paintings journey. As the project comes to a close, I look at what has happened over the last 30 days with amazement and gratitude. 

I am grateful to my family for their patience and support. I'm grateful for Leslie Saeta for initiating the challenge. Most importantly, I'm grateful for all of you. Your interest in my work is cherished more than you will ever know.

I have a feeling there may be many more of these little paintings to come. There is so much more I want to try to paint. There are still plenty of conceptual pieces I plan to paint as well. Tomorrow is new day. I wonder what new things that day will bring.

Pick Me

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 29.

I almost forgot that I wanted to paint this little pumpkin for the 30 in 30 challenge. I picked it out at a local farm last fall. I love pumpkin picking, especially straight from the patch. Geeking out as an artist, I feel like a master sculptor looking for the perfect muse—waiting to be freed. When I picked this pumpkin, I knew that it could make a nice painting. Almost forgotten until today, my pumpkin has become my artistic muse once again.

Blue Heron

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 28.

The Great Blue Heron will always hold a special place in my heart. On the day that my son was born, the bird mysteriously showed up in a field that backed up to my yard. Ever since then,  the Great Blue Heron has made his presence known around milestones in my son's life. This graceful creature reminds me that my son is part of a larger community, and belongs to someone greater than all of us.