Small Things

When life goes on in a slow pace, there are times when I have wondered, does God care about these small things in life? He clearly answers this question:

“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” –Luke 12:7

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” –Matthew 6:26

Do not be discouraged, He indeed cares about the seemingly small things in your life, but He cares for you immensely more than anything else on this earth. Remember to rest in His love for you and know that He will not only take care of all the ‘small things’ but He will take care of you too.

Here are a few small things that I have finished this year, enjoy! These projects were inspired by items found the Nancy Drew PC Game Series with different alterations.

“I will be like dew to the people of Israel. They will blossom like flowers.” –Hosea 14:5a The Flower Dome piece looks similar to the Anthurium Scherzerianum flower species. It is a tropical plant that looks almost as if it was made for a different world!

 “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” –Job 12:10 The sculpture resembles a small house cat (Yes, I love cats).  I enlarged this piece and added more paint texture to give it more vibrancy. It reminds me of all the joy my previous cats gave during their lives, and it makes me smile in reminding me to cherish every moment.

“I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”-Esther 4:16 The Wooden Puzzle Box project took a while for me to complete, but it was worth it to achieve a captivating visual on the life of Esther. She was just an everyday girl who was called by God to live an extraordinary life!

All We Need

This is a painting that I created which was inspired by a cover from the 1927 Woman’s Companion magazine.  The love this little girl has for her kitten is captured perfectly in this scene. It reminded me of how much more God cares for us, His children, and how His love is to be expressed in every aspect of our lives – even in how we treat our animals.

“The righteous care for the needs of their animals,

    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” – Proverbs 12:10

You can see the difference love makes – not just in the big things, but the small things too. Just as God cares for our needs, we are to share that same love to one another so that we can make a difference in our world. This song, ‘All We Need’ by musical artists Out Of The Grey reminds us of what we need in our lives – God’s love.

All We Need By Out of The Grey

Little did I know that not long after I had completed this painting, I was to receive a similar gift, too. My cat, Emily, passed away in 2018, and I did not think that there would ever be another cat in my life. However, I now have a cat who looks exactly like the kitten in my painting! God is so good! Enjoy!

Ruth

This piece is the last painting of mine inspired by a painting done by Art Nouveau artist, Paul Berthon, in 1897. In this painting I depicted Ruth from the Bible, using acrylics and gel pen for the verse. In the Bible, Ruth is completely devoted to her mother-in-law, Naomi, after tragic deaths in the family occurred. Naomi’s husband and two sons, one of which was Ruth’s husband, died.  Ruth’s love for Naomi was so strong that she was willing to stay with her mother-in-law and follow her during an uncertain future.

“And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” -Ruth 1:16

Ruth was given a chance to go back to her former life, but she was faithful to Naomi.  She decided to adopt Naomi’s faith and join Naomi’s people, her home, and her God. Little did Ruth know that she would marry wealthy landowner Boaz in the future, and be able to provide for all of Naomi’s needs. Remarkably, Ruth and Boaz’s son would play a pivotal role in fulfilling God’s plan occupying a part in the genealogy of King David!

I wonder if Ruth ever thought how different her life would have been if she did not remain with Naomi after the death of her first husband.  I’m so glad that she chose to go with Naomi at that difficult time. Ruth’s decision to follow Naomi and embrace Naomi’s God caused Ruth to become part of the family line that would eventually bring forth the Savior of the world, Jesus. I have included one of my favorite songs on Ruth which brings her words to song in Song Of Ruth by Lamb. Enjoy:

Song of Ruth By Lamb

Hope and Strength For Such A Time As This

Esther

This painting was inspired by the famous Art Nouveau artist Paul Berthon as an advertisement for a monthly literature review in 1897. I used acrylics and Elmer’s Glue(for the crackle effect on the Moon). In my version, the woman is Queen Esther walking the gardens, pondering on the message her uncle Mordecai sent to her to take action to save herself and her people:

“…Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” –Esther 4:14

Perhaps God had placed her in this position in order save her people, the Jews, from being killed by a new decree inspired by evil Haman.  The King made a decree unknowingly placing Esther’s life – and the lives of her people – in danger. He was unaware of Esther’s true identity as a Jew, and she knew the severity of the consequences following his decree. Nevertheless she made the decision to reveal the truth to the king, even though doing so placed herself in danger. She sent a message back to Mordecai with this response:

“Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, ‘Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.’” –Esther 4:16

God had to be her hope and strength in order to continue with this decision.  Esther’s selfless action determined the fate of all Jews in the kingdom, ultimately saving her people from death and bringing peace to the kingdom. This song also coincides with the topic of God being our hope and strength, God Of My Hopes by Michelle Tumes. Put your strength and hope in the Lord! Enjoy:

Tree of Wisdom

Tree of Wisdom

This is my rendition of Vincent Van Gogh’s Almond Blossoms which was completed in 1890 (The same time period of the Art Nouveau style). It is mostly acrylics with a gel pen for the verse, and the colors that Vincent Van Gogh included in his artwork always cause static (stationary) objects to visually transition into kinetic (energetic) objects! Reflecting on this painting reminded me of the scripture verse that refers to wisdom as a tree of life:

“She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.”- Proverbs 3:18

It certainly is a weird thing to think about wisdom as a tree at first, but it does makes sense in that a tree is always growing. Likewise, we continue growing as a tree does when we learn new ‘nuggets’ of wisdom from the Bible. We are letting His word grow into a beautiful tree on the inside of us that becomes a resource as well as a blessing to the outside world. I wanted to share a song that also coincides with the topic of wisdom Be Thou My Vision by 4HIM. Let your ‘tree of wisdom’ grow! Enjoy:

Making Music for the King

Making Music For The King

This painting was inspired by the famous Art Nouveau artist Paul Berthon in 1900. This painting is completed with acrylics and charcoal pencil. I thought it would be interesting to put a twist in my version where she is playing a song for the Lord. David did the same thing in the Bible when he was troubled.  Playing music and worshiping God provided joy to David, which then equipped him with spiritual strength to complete what he needed to accomplish. This is part of what David wrote after he had fled from Saul into a cave:   

“My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast;   I will sing and make music.” –Psalm 57:7

Normally, I would not think to write a song in praise when running from a king trying to kill me, but David did. David knew who his refuge was and where his strength came from:   the Lord Almighty. In the midst of the unknown, we need to remember and give thanks to the one who provides our very breath by offering praise to Him and encouragement to not only one another – but also to ourselves. David knew that he had to encourage himself by drawing from the Spirit of God when there was no one around him to help:

“And David was greatly distressed…. but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” – 1 Samuel 30:6

Praise lifts up your inner spirit man and provides the strength to persevere through difficulties we encounter in life. Encourage yourself in the Lord by singing praise and let Him fight your battles for you.

You Are Free Indeed

You Are Free Indeed

In light of what has occurred recently in the United States and around the world, some of us might feel a bit trapped at the moment. I thought this painting would be appropriate for those who need freedom.

This was inspired by a painting created by artist Paul Berthon in 1898.(I seem to be drawn to the Art Nouveau Style of painting at the moment. This art style was popular from 1890-1910).

His painting depicts a woman who in real life had a difficult past, but later in life she repented for her sins and gave her life to the Lord. Later she decided to become a nun, then eventually passed away in 1950. When I was reading about her history, I had a thought cross my mind to ‘free’ this woman from the web behind her. In my version, I have the web symbolizing sin, how it at times seems that there is no way out – but when we repent and let our lives be used by God, we break free from sin! I have the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit in front of her to represent the armor we need to stand firm in the midst of chaos around us. I left the bullhorn in the painting, because I think we often forget our brothers and sisters in Christ need warning and encouragement no matter how far they are from the narrow road. One word from God uplifts those who feel weak and defeated in life. We too, need to remind others to put their armor back on, and be determined to help others to persevere throughout all of life’s trials.

This painting symbolizes to me how different her young life may have been if she knew the freedom from sin in Christ that could have been shared with her by just one Christian friend’s testimony. Remember, if you feel trapped by the web of sin, it is never too late for you to be set free.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” -John 8:36

Enjoy The Good

Sometimes people can feel a bit guilty for ‘having fun’ in the midst of this pressure-filled world. Tutorials and people discussing how to be productive isn’t a bad thing, however, for a perfectionist(like me), continually watching videos on this subject can apply unnecessary pressure for us to be a work horse only. If you are simply ‘enjoying the moment’ for one day – you may briefly consider yourself to be wasting time. This way of thinking contrasts with the Bible:

“Every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”-Ecclesiastes 3:13

We should make time to enjoy the little things in life. If God Himself took a break from creating the world to enjoy all that He had made, why can’t we take pleasure in life too? Spending time with family and friends is creating a special memory and it is being productive by strengthening your relationships to last.

A few activities that I enjoy doing are playing pc games/board games, and I am always intrigued on how to create/bring objects that exist on the screen and make it a part of real life for everyone to enjoy. While I was playing Nancy Drew: Phantom of Venice pc game, there is a mini game Nancy played called Scopa which I had no idea existed as a real card game until last month. I painted over a board game(don’t worry, it wasn’t a classic!) and decided to bring the board into the real world. This is a project which has taken me a while to do, but it it finally finished! I used acrylic paints to create a Scopa Board that resembles the board from the pc game, and I ordered the actual Scopa cards from Italy. Now my family & friends can play the classic 18^th century Scopa game together! Remember to make time to enjoy the Good!

Scopa Board View 2

Scopa Board View 3

Scopa Board View 4

Scopa Board View 1

 

Jacob’s Ladder

Jacob’s Ladder

“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. .” – Genesis 28:10-17

For the first two months in the school year, students are studying the art styles of Art Deco and Art Nouveau. I thought that I would show you one of my examples of Art Deco, while illustrating Jacob’s dream from Genesis. This piece integrates silver and black Sharpie with a small amount of Acrylic Paint to make the scene pop out. When reflecting on this event, I can’t help but wonder if Jacob ever thought God would use a dream to speak to him so vividly. I am sure he was exhausted from traveling and thought he was simply going to get a night of sleep, then continue on his way as usual. However God had a different plan for Jacob. After Jacob had this vision, he did something that we often forget to do. Jacob took the time to rise up early, gather large stones and form an altar; upon which he glorified God for giving him the dream. Today, we can often get distracted and mistakenly ignore what God is trying to reveal to us as we go about our daily routines. When we share precious moments with God where He speaks to our heart, we need to write it down. Then we can thank Him for giving us the opportunity to uplift others with what He has shown us throughout our day. Don’t forget the dream God has given you. We can reach out to others with His love in so many ways ~ sometimes just to bring a smile to someone who needs one. These actions make an ordinary day into an extraordinary day where we can make a difference for good!

Happy Spring

It has been a while since you have seen new artwork on this blog due to the fact that I have been working on several projects at once. In short – it has been a challenging transition back into the normal flow of life. (I will be posting each project on this blog as it becomes “finished”). One of the projects that I was able to finish encompassed four different types of flowers that I sculpted and painted. I first applied plaster to the canvas, and sculpted the plaster to replicate the original type of flower that I was referencing. After the plaster was completely dry, I started to paint the background a gray-tinted field. When the paint was dry, I continued painting the flower, then glued a small colorful ribbon on the front to complete it. As always, I examine each piece that I have finished and consider what scripture would best accommodate it. It seemed that silver would work best with the background – so I penned the verse in the background to bring unity to the composition. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do!

Lavender – “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” – John 12:3

Wild Flowers – “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” – Matthew 6:28

Roses – “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.”– Song of Solomon 2:1-2

Yellow Stardust – “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land” – Song of Solomon 2:12