"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."
- Proverbs 16:3
December '14 - January '15
Much of the past few months has been spent planning and preparing for a live painting I did at Haysville Christian Church just outside of Wichita, KS. You can read more about that project and see a gallery of images from before and during the event here.
11/18/14 : Underpainting and Beyond
I haven't been able to make it down into the studio as often as I would like over the past week or so, but I have been able to make a little progress on my latest Joyflow painting, "I Am Us (Genesis 1:26)" This painting seeks to explore the fascinating mystery that is the triune nature of God: Father, Son, Spirit. The Genesis verse sheds light on the eternal nature of the trinity as God speaks about himself in a plural tense, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."
Stay tuned for further progress shots and a full description with the finished work. I plan to have this small 7" x 10" painting, and the rest of my recent work, available next month in Holton where I will be hosting my booth at the Second Saturday Art Walk.
See the finished painting!
Stay tuned for further progress shots and a full description with the finished work. I plan to have this small 7" x 10" painting, and the rest of my recent work, available next month in Holton where I will be hosting my booth at the Second Saturday Art Walk.
See the finished painting!
11/1/14 : "I Am Us" : Developing Surfaces
I got a new painting from my Joyflow series underway yesterday. As with several of my other recent paintings, this one is on a smaller 7" x 9" pine block.
After getting the initial composition sketched out, I used a wood burning tool tooutline what will become the Jesus line. Not only do I like the look of this dark, recessed outline; I also like what it does symbolically. The burnt wood seems to suggest the suffering and sacrifice Jesus underwent in a more tangible way.
I also put down a coat of modeling paste on what will be the God line. I am definitely a texture junkie and really enjoy the rugged surface quality the modeling paste creates after painting. It gives the line a strong, physical presence that, to my mind, compliments one of God's many names: "The Ancient of Days." I have plans tonight to experiment with some paper clay to create the Holy Spirit line and get started on actually adding paint.
The title of this paining will be "I Am Us (Genesis 1:26)". This is a fascinating verse which sheds light on the mystery of the triune nature of God as he refers to himself in plural tense, saying, "Let us make man in our image..." Depicting the three distinct manifestations of God (Father, Son, Spirit) in one interconnected group is an attempt to explore this unique characteristic of our Heavenly Father.
After getting the initial composition sketched out, I used a wood burning tool tooutline what will become the Jesus line. Not only do I like the look of this dark, recessed outline; I also like what it does symbolically. The burnt wood seems to suggest the suffering and sacrifice Jesus underwent in a more tangible way.
I also put down a coat of modeling paste on what will be the God line. I am definitely a texture junkie and really enjoy the rugged surface quality the modeling paste creates after painting. It gives the line a strong, physical presence that, to my mind, compliments one of God's many names: "The Ancient of Days." I have plans tonight to experiment with some paper clay to create the Holy Spirit line and get started on actually adding paint.
The title of this paining will be "I Am Us (Genesis 1:26)". This is a fascinating verse which sheds light on the mystery of the triune nature of God as he refers to himself in plural tense, saying, "Let us make man in our image..." Depicting the three distinct manifestations of God (Father, Son, Spirit) in one interconnected group is an attempt to explore this unique characteristic of our Heavenly Father.
10/29/14 : Finishing "Two Grams"
This is a portrait of my mother and grandmother I originally painted in 1996 as a present for my mom. It was painted the same year my grandmother, who we called Gram, passed away. Gram was an incredibly strong woman of God. She was kind, loving, always happy and eager to help. She was an enormous Royals fan, before it was trendy, and an avid golfer. I have nothing but fond memories of Gram and especially of visiting her house in Seneca. I dearly wish my own children could have met her, but I take comfort in the fact that I know one day they will!
I was 21 when I first painted this, and considering the sentimental magnitude of the work, I gave it everything I had. At that point I had not yet painted too many portraits, and despite my best attempts, my mother still came out looking a bit like she had a five o’clock shadow. So as a Christmas present last year, my mother requested that I update and revise the painting a bit and I accepted the challenge.
Obviously, I must first acknowledge how tragically late this Christmas present is as considering it’s once again two months away! This is an interesting task to undertake though as only once before have I returned to a work I had previously considered finished. As I began to work on this painting that I made nearly 20 years ago, I felt nearly overwhelmed by the number of things that need corrected or refined. (It’s actually a bit surreal to feel the art teacher in me pointing all these things out to the student who also happens to be me! It’s equally surreal to be old enough to have artwork I did two decades ago!) At the same time, however, I also felt a real need to leave a good deal of it intact in recognition of the time and effort put in by my younger self. So the real objective became delicately balancing the new work with the old work in a harmonious and unified way.
I’ve had two kids of my own since first completing this painting, and my mother has now rightfully inherited the moniker of “Gram.” It seemed only appropriate then, to rename this canvas “Two Grams.” In the end, I’m feeling pretty good about it, especially considering the fact that I still haven’t painted many portraits. Working on this painting was at times a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but now that it’s done, I’m very excited to have gone through the experience. After everything my mother has done for my family and I, it is indeed a pleasure to have made something to help her cherish the memories she had with her own mother.
I was 21 when I first painted this, and considering the sentimental magnitude of the work, I gave it everything I had. At that point I had not yet painted too many portraits, and despite my best attempts, my mother still came out looking a bit like she had a five o’clock shadow. So as a Christmas present last year, my mother requested that I update and revise the painting a bit and I accepted the challenge.
Obviously, I must first acknowledge how tragically late this Christmas present is as considering it’s once again two months away! This is an interesting task to undertake though as only once before have I returned to a work I had previously considered finished. As I began to work on this painting that I made nearly 20 years ago, I felt nearly overwhelmed by the number of things that need corrected or refined. (It’s actually a bit surreal to feel the art teacher in me pointing all these things out to the student who also happens to be me! It’s equally surreal to be old enough to have artwork I did two decades ago!) At the same time, however, I also felt a real need to leave a good deal of it intact in recognition of the time and effort put in by my younger self. So the real objective became delicately balancing the new work with the old work in a harmonious and unified way.
I’ve had two kids of my own since first completing this painting, and my mother has now rightfully inherited the moniker of “Gram.” It seemed only appropriate then, to rename this canvas “Two Grams.” In the end, I’m feeling pretty good about it, especially considering the fact that I still haven’t painted many portraits. Working on this painting was at times a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but now that it’s done, I’m very excited to have gone through the experience. After everything my mother has done for my family and I, it is indeed a pleasure to have made something to help her cherish the memories she had with her own mother.
06/03/14 : "A Place Prepared" : Struggling
While we might not like to admit it much, struggle is unfortunately a frequent part of the artistic process. Sometimes we have to fight our way through a piece. Sometimes we encounter difficulty every time we try to work on certain projects. Sometimes frustration and uncertainty become overwhelming distractions and nearly inhibit our ability to move forward on an artwork. This has been the case for me over the last week.
I started this painting, "A Place Prepared (John 14:1-3)" with a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm. I've been looking forward to doing this painting for some time now and I expected it to be a fun, enjoyable, and relatively quick process since I had much of it already planned out in my mind. However, over the past several days, I've felt as though I was trying to roll a heavy, square bolder uphill. I've changed my mind about parts of the composition a dozen times, and each time I do, it only makes me question myself all the more. And while I’m finally starting to feel as though I’m gaining forward momentum, it’s still not quite looking like what I imagined. But I do know this; I’m not giving up on it, and it WILL be done in time for the “7 Man Crew” show opening this Friday at Warehouse 414.
Art echoes life in so many fascinating ways, and this is definitely one of them. Often times we will encounter difficulty when we least expect it, and our attitude in how we approach it goes a long way in determining whether we will overcome it, or be defined by it. And when we do persevere and defeat that which we were struggling against, we both learn and grow; either as an artist, or a person.
The Bible teaches in Ecclesiastes 2:24, “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” God has uniquely gifted each of us (1 Peter 4:10) and prepared work for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). So just as Ecclesiastes points out, the best thing we can do is focus our hearts and minds on God, and commit our efforts to the work he has given us, especially when it’s hard.
Praise be to God.
(While I have not updated it in quite a long time, I have a featured blog onartid.com entitled “Tales from the Art Side” that explores teaching art at the high school level. Years ago I wrote a post discussing how I coach students through their own artistic struggles. For anyone interested, you can use the link below to read “When Things Go Wrong” )
http://artid.com/members/teaching_kids_art/blog/post/900-when-things-go-wrong
(6 photos)
I started this painting, "A Place Prepared (John 14:1-3)" with a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm. I've been looking forward to doing this painting for some time now and I expected it to be a fun, enjoyable, and relatively quick process since I had much of it already planned out in my mind. However, over the past several days, I've felt as though I was trying to roll a heavy, square bolder uphill. I've changed my mind about parts of the composition a dozen times, and each time I do, it only makes me question myself all the more. And while I’m finally starting to feel as though I’m gaining forward momentum, it’s still not quite looking like what I imagined. But I do know this; I’m not giving up on it, and it WILL be done in time for the “7 Man Crew” show opening this Friday at Warehouse 414.
Art echoes life in so many fascinating ways, and this is definitely one of them. Often times we will encounter difficulty when we least expect it, and our attitude in how we approach it goes a long way in determining whether we will overcome it, or be defined by it. And when we do persevere and defeat that which we were struggling against, we both learn and grow; either as an artist, or a person.
The Bible teaches in Ecclesiastes 2:24, “There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” God has uniquely gifted each of us (1 Peter 4:10) and prepared work for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). So just as Ecclesiastes points out, the best thing we can do is focus our hearts and minds on God, and commit our efforts to the work he has given us, especially when it’s hard.
Praise be to God.
(While I have not updated it in quite a long time, I have a featured blog onartid.com entitled “Tales from the Art Side” that explores teaching art at the high school level. Years ago I wrote a post discussing how I coach students through their own artistic struggles. For anyone interested, you can use the link below to read “When Things Go Wrong” )
http://artid.com/members/teaching_kids_art/blog/post/900-when-things-go-wrong
(6 photos)
5/15/14 : "Ascension" : Finishing Jesus
I'm feeling like Jesus is nearly complete at this point. In looking it over again this morning I realized that the ride side of his head is still just a tiny bit bigger than the left. I've been having my good friend and co-exhibitor Brad LeDuc help me dial in the proportions and he pointed out the shoulder on the left is a bit too long as well. I see that now and it's hard to understand how I didn't notice that already myself. It's fascinating how easy it is to overlook things that should be obvious. Sometimes it’s simply because you've been staring at something for so long. Even as an art teacher, it's surprisingly easy to fall victim to the same kind of mistakes I point out to my students. Art so often echoes life, and I find this same scenario frequently plays out in our own lives. We make choices that we know we shouldn't have, and fall into mistakes that we knew well enough to avoid. We can even find ourselves doing things we've told our own children not to do.
It comes down to this, none of us are perfect. In fact, the Bible says, "there is no one that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalm 14:3, Matthew 19:17) We are all in process. We are either ignoring God, seeking to find him, or slowly being made more like him through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We all, however, are prone to make mistakes and break God's commands. In fact, the very purpose of God's law to highlight our inability to live righteously and emphasize our need for a savior. (Paul explores this very eloquently in Romans 7).
Ultimately, we are not saved because of anything we do; it is only by the grace of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is ONLY because of Jesus and what HE did through his death, resurrection, and even his ascension, which should inspire in us an expectant hope for the eternal future we will one day have because of our faith in him.
It comes down to this, none of us are perfect. In fact, the Bible says, "there is no one that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalm 14:3, Matthew 19:17) We are all in process. We are either ignoring God, seeking to find him, or slowly being made more like him through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. We all, however, are prone to make mistakes and break God's commands. In fact, the very purpose of God's law to highlight our inability to live righteously and emphasize our need for a savior. (Paul explores this very eloquently in Romans 7).
Ultimately, we are not saved because of anything we do; it is only by the grace of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is ONLY because of Jesus and what HE did through his death, resurrection, and even his ascension, which should inspire in us an expectant hope for the eternal future we will one day have because of our faith in him.
5/14/14 : "Ascension" : Developing Jesus
Last night I worked more on developing the figure of Jesus in my painting of the ascension as recorded in Acts 1:1-11. I'm fairly pleased with how he is coming along, although he isn't done yet. There are still some proportional issues I need to address with his his head and neck. And there will be a great deal of lighter shades of white as he is being bathed in the light of Heaven.
In reading through the passage in Acts again, I was struck by a finer detail that had previously alluded me. Verses 10-11 read: "And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Verse 10 is clear that the angels appeared AS the apostles were still looking up at Jesus. So for the sake of accuracy, I'll need to add two men in white apparel standing by the apostles. Which actually sounds like fun considering how much I enjoyed painting the tiny apostles!
In reading through the passage in Acts again, I was struck by a finer detail that had previously alluded me. Verses 10-11 read: "And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Verse 10 is clear that the angels appeared AS the apostles were still looking up at Jesus. So for the sake of accuracy, I'll need to add two men in white apparel standing by the apostles. Which actually sounds like fun considering how much I enjoyed painting the tiny apostles!
5/13/14 : "Ascension" : Sketching and Blocking in Jesus
The weekend proved to be much busier than I anticipated and it left me far too tired to paint. I've more than learned my lesson about trying to paint when I'm tired or not feeling well. Inevitably, I end up doing more damage than good. So I've come to terms with the reality that sometimes, even though I might want to, it simply wouldn't be wise to paint.
I was able to make it downstairs last night though, and started the preliminary work of blocking in the figure of Jesus as he ascends to Heaven. I've intentionally tilted his head back quite far to avoid the issue of what Jesus looked like, since the Bible itself is noticeably silent on the issue. (I do know this for certain, he was not a long haired Scandinavian looking man as he is frequently portrayed. (Here's a brief article that does a nice job exploring this issue a little more.) However, I also tilted his back because it seems the most natural posture for one being welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. As the sky opened up to receive him, it would only make sense that Jesus would fix his gaze squarely on the eyes of our Heavenly Father who was anxiously bringing his son home. I eagerly await the day when, I too, will finally get to see my Savior face to face!
I was able to make it downstairs last night though, and started the preliminary work of blocking in the figure of Jesus as he ascends to Heaven. I've intentionally tilted his head back quite far to avoid the issue of what Jesus looked like, since the Bible itself is noticeably silent on the issue. (I do know this for certain, he was not a long haired Scandinavian looking man as he is frequently portrayed. (Here's a brief article that does a nice job exploring this issue a little more.) However, I also tilted his back because it seems the most natural posture for one being welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. As the sky opened up to receive him, it would only make sense that Jesus would fix his gaze squarely on the eyes of our Heavenly Father who was anxiously bringing his son home. I eagerly await the day when, I too, will finally get to see my Savior face to face!
5/8/14 : "Ascension" : Adding Clouds
Yellow and violet are often used to denote royalty, which is why I wanted the sky in this painting to be positively glowing with these two colors. It becomes then a regal backdrop upon which to feature the Prince of Peace and the King of Kings as he ascends to take his throne in the Kingdom of Heaven.
It is with a great deal of excitement, and a fair degree of trepidation, that I begin adding Jesus to this composition. It's my hope to complete the painting this weekend.ere to edit.
It is with a great deal of excitement, and a fair degree of trepidation, that I begin adding Jesus to this composition. It's my hope to complete the painting this weekend.ere to edit.
5/7/14 : "Ascension" : Resizing the Trees
The trees and foliage in the foreground are finished, and I finally feel like the landscape portion of this painting is complete. Tonight I plan to start adding purple clouds to contrast the yellows and oranges of the sky. After those are in place, I can start blocking in Jesus himself as he ascends to be with our Heavenly Father. Also pictured below is my original Photoshop painting which was part of FBC's 2013 Easter Services. You can learn more about the other 11 digital paintings that were also a part of the Easter animated videos on the special projects page.
5/2/14 : "Ascension" : Finishing the Apostles & Enlarging the Trees
I'm continuing to work on my painting of the ascension of Jesus as recorded in Acts 1:1-11. I finished painting the 11 Apostles, a process I enjoyed far more than I anticipated. This canvas is not that large, and so the apostles are quite tiny. Trying to add very small details and shadows was surprisingly fun. (I had a very short lived Dungeons & Dragons phase in my early adolescence and my favorite part of that time was painting miniature pewter figures of ogres and warriors. This reminded me a lot of that!)
However, upon completing the Apostles, I realized I'd made them to large relative to the trees in the foreground. They were easily half the size of the trees. So now I'm having to adjust the scale by enlarging the foliage in the foreground. As is often the case in art, my progress on this painting seems to be two steps forward, one step back! At least I'm still very much enjoying the journey!
However, upon completing the Apostles, I realized I'd made them to large relative to the trees in the foreground. They were easily half the size of the trees. So now I'm having to adjust the scale by enlarging the foliage in the foreground. As is often the case in art, my progress on this painting seems to be two steps forward, one step back! At least I'm still very much enjoying the journey!
4/30/14 : "Ascension" : Finishing Trees, Blocking in Apostles
The scrubby trees and brush have now been completed and I've started blocking in the 11 apostles left behind who became the first men to start the work of the Great Commission.
4/29/14 : "Ascension" : Continuing on the Landscape....Again!
I've finally had the opportunity to return to this painting which has been in progress and then put on hold repeatedly since last October! The painting will feature a depiction of the ascension of Jesus as documented in the gospel accounts. The composition is taken from a digital painting I did as part of Fellowship Bible Church's Easter services of 2013. You can see the original Photoshop painting here.
4/23/14 : "Providence" : Finishing Touches, Take 2
After wrapping up the last details on the first canvas from the "Providence" paintings, I started immediately in on the second one. It's been a little surreal to essentially paint the same painting twice, especially when they are this large. I used to regularly work this big years ago, but it's been a long time since I've had to contend with this much canvas! However, since the two paintings are basically the same imagery in just a slightly different configuration, the second one did go quicker in finalizing the details.
The Eclective Gallery in NOTO is showcasing Trash Mountain Project as part of their May First Friday events. Numerous pieces of artwork inspired by TMP, including this one, will be made available through a silent auction with all proceeds going to benefit the efforts of TMP. I'm praying for a good turn out that night and that the generosity of Topeka art lovers can help further advance the work God is doing through TMP.
You can see more about these live paintings on the Special Projects page. You can see the finished painting on the JoyFlow Series page.
The Eclective Gallery in NOTO is showcasing Trash Mountain Project as part of their May First Friday events. Numerous pieces of artwork inspired by TMP, including this one, will be made available through a silent auction with all proceeds going to benefit the efforts of TMP. I'm praying for a good turn out that night and that the generosity of Topeka art lovers can help further advance the work God is doing through TMP.
You can see more about these live paintings on the Special Projects page. You can see the finished painting on the JoyFlow Series page.
4/17/14 : "Providence" : Finishing Touches
I've been spending the past couple of nights beginning to refine and touch up the first of the two 4' x 5' "Providence" canvases that I painted last weekend at the Trash Mountain Project 5th Anniversary Celebration. When finished, these two canvases, which collectively make one image, will be on display at The Eclective Gallery in NOTO. The Eclective is showcasing Trash Mountain Project as part of their May First Friday events. Numerous pieces of artwork inspired by TMP, including this one, will be made available through a silent auction with all proceeds going to benefit the efforts of TMP. I'm praying for a good turn out that night and that the generosity of Topeka art lovers can help further advance the work God is doing through TMP.
You can see more about the live paintings on the Special Projects page.
You can see more about the live paintings on the Special Projects page.
3/17/14 : "Two Grams" : Faces & Background
Tonight I actually got underway with reworking the portrait
of my mother and grandmother. The first
order of business was to simply “block in” both of their faces with a new
foundation color that I can later develop with more values and details. The other major overhaul was to scrap the
very shabby background for a night sky.
For me, few things better communicate the presence and majesty of God than
a glorious night sky filled with stars. This
sky now alludes to the fact that Gram has gone to be with the Lord. (2 Corinthians
5:8) My mom is also fond of stargazing
from her front porch. In fact, when my
own children spend the night at her house, they often wind down the evening
looking at the stars together. So
overall, this seemed a much more suitable backdrop for these ladies.
The sky still needs a little work, but I’m generally pleased with how it’s developing. I’ve also started adding some blues and violets into their clothing to help unify the painting and keep the colors feeling consistent throughout. I’m hoping to begin the faces tomorrow night.
The sky still needs a little work, but I’m generally pleased with how it’s developing. I’ve also started adding some blues and violets into their clothing to help unify the painting and keep the colors feeling consistent throughout. I’m hoping to begin the faces tomorrow night.
3/16/14 : Reworking An Important Old Portrait
This is a portrait of my mother and grandmother I originally painted in 1996 as a present for my mom. It was painted the same year my grandmother, who we called Gram, passed away. Gram was an incredibly strong woman of God. She was kind,loving, always happy and eager to help. She was an enormous Royals fan and an avid golfer. I have nothing but fond memories of Gram and especially of visiting her house in Seneca. I dearly wish my own children could have met her, but I take comfort in the fact that I know one day they will!
I was 21 when I painted this, and considering the sentimental magnitude of the work, I gave it everything I had. At that point I had not yet painted too many portraits, and despite my best attempts, my mother still came out looking a bit like she had a five o’clock shadow. So as a Christmas present this year, my mother requested that I update and revise the painting a bit and I accepted the challenge.
Obviously I must first acknowledge how tragically late this Christmas present is as the first new paint to touch the canvas is during Spring Break! This is an interesting task to undertake though as only once before have I returned to a work I had previously considered finished. As I sit and look at this painting that I made nearly 20 years ago, I feel nearly overwhelmed by the number of things that need corrected or refined. (It’s actually a bit surreal to feel the art teacher in me pointing all these things out to the student who also happens to be me!) At the same time, however, I also feel a real need to leave a good deal of it intact in recognition of the time and effort put in by my younger self. So the real objective becomes delicately balancing the new work with the old work in a harmonious and unified way. Stay tuned to find out how things go; I’m hoping to finish it before school starts again next week.
I was 21 when I painted this, and considering the sentimental magnitude of the work, I gave it everything I had. At that point I had not yet painted too many portraits, and despite my best attempts, my mother still came out looking a bit like she had a five o’clock shadow. So as a Christmas present this year, my mother requested that I update and revise the painting a bit and I accepted the challenge.
Obviously I must first acknowledge how tragically late this Christmas present is as the first new paint to touch the canvas is during Spring Break! This is an interesting task to undertake though as only once before have I returned to a work I had previously considered finished. As I sit and look at this painting that I made nearly 20 years ago, I feel nearly overwhelmed by the number of things that need corrected or refined. (It’s actually a bit surreal to feel the art teacher in me pointing all these things out to the student who also happens to be me!) At the same time, however, I also feel a real need to leave a good deal of it intact in recognition of the time and effort put in by my younger self. So the real objective becomes delicately balancing the new work with the old work in a harmonious and unified way. Stay tuned to find out how things go; I’m hoping to finish it before school starts again next week.
1/15/14 : My Father's House : Gelatin Print
Here’s an example of one of the prints from the newest addition to my “Promises” series entitled “My Father’s House”. I’m thinking I’d like to embellish these just a little bit with colored pencils before I consider them finished, but the gelatin printing itself is done on all of them. I’ll share the whole group once I’m done tinkering. The overall image is inspired by an exciting promise made by Jesus in first verses of John 14, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
1/13/14 : Gelatin Printmaking
As is often the case, things are taking longer than initially expected with the newest edition of prints from my “Promises” series. They will be entitled “My Father’s House” as mentioned in the passage John 14:1-3 that is inspiring the prints. This particular composition requires each piece of paper to be printed on 8 separate times from the gelatin plate; and each of those layers requires a different hand cut stencil. Admittedly, this image involves a more meticulous amount of process and attention than my normal artwork, but thus far I’m enjoying the results. I started with an edition of 10 prints and only one has “died” at this point from unexpected results. The other nine are progressing well and I hope to finish them up in the next day or so. For now, I have a shot from my sketchbook to share which shows the doodle that inspired the basic idea behind the image and one of the prints as they look now.
I also unexpectedly “discovered” another composition by re-using one of the stencils on top of a few unfinished prints from a previous batch of experiments. I just love it when things come together on their own like that! This off shoot of prints will be called “Strong Tower” after Proverbs 18:10 and I should have those completed and ready to share soon too.
Only 15 hours left in my 90 hour studio class. I should tick off the last hour Thursday night!
I also unexpectedly “discovered” another composition by re-using one of the stencils on top of a few unfinished prints from a previous batch of experiments. I just love it when things come together on their own like that! This off shoot of prints will be called “Strong Tower” after Proverbs 18:10 and I should have those completed and ready to share soon too.
Only 15 hours left in my 90 hour studio class. I should tick off the last hour Thursday night!
1/11/14 : Gelatin Printmaking
Today I am starting on my most ambitious edition of gelatin prints yet and I’m pretty excited about it. These prints will require about seven different hand cut stencils for each of the various layers, so it’s proving to be fairly labor intensive. This edition of images is also a part of my new “Promises” series which are inspired by a collection of Scriptures which God intended to give us hope. The passage giving direction to this image is John 14:1-3, a set of verses we should all cling to with eager expectation.
12/29/13 : Gelatin Printmaking
Here is a group shot and a few individual pics from the newest batch of prints coming out of my adventures in gelatin printing. I would not consider any of these "finished" artworks, but many of them do have potential and will probably receive a little more attention in the future. While creating these I was still far more focused on exploring what the gelatin plate is capable of producing. I do, however, feel like I'm now ready to start, in earnest, creating prints where I'm more intentionally concerned with the design and content of the work. I've decided to create a series of prints themed around several Biblical promises that we can cling to in times of stress and uncertainty. I'll tell you, and show you, more about that in the days to come. Stay tuned!
12/27/13 : Gelatin Printmaking : Registration Jig
As I've continued to experiment with the gelatin printing process, I quickly realized that one of the real challenges for this type of printmaking is registering the various layers. In printmaking, registration refers to the ability of the artist to align the different layers of ink into one cohesive image with clean, crisp edges. Traditionally when I'm creating monotypes I use a plexiglass plate that I can easily pick up and place face down onto the paper, which makes registration fairly easy. The gelatin plate, however, is far to soft and flexible to be able to do this, so I'm left "printing blind" with regards to registration.
After doing some more research online I found two artists, Linda Germain and Mark Evans, that had some interesting ideas about this dilemma. I borrowed some of their ideas and mixed them with a printmaking jig we use a school designed by my good friend and fellow teacher, Brad LeDuc. I came up with a foam core "table" that seats over the gelatin plate and allows me to ensure the paper is oriented in the exact same position each time I print with a new color. The opening of the foam core frame is just a little larger than the plate itself, which allows me to keep the sublte organic shape of the gelatin, which I like. A little double sided tape on the bottom of the jig helps it stay in place once I place it over the gelatin. Sharpie marks on the surface of my work table also help me position the jig in the same spot each time. I also threw a coat of Mod Podge on the jig to hopefully help it wipe clean of any unwanted ink. I was able to test drive this registration system on a couple of quick 3 color prints and was fairly pleased with how everything lined up.
After doing some more research online I found two artists, Linda Germain and Mark Evans, that had some interesting ideas about this dilemma. I borrowed some of their ideas and mixed them with a printmaking jig we use a school designed by my good friend and fellow teacher, Brad LeDuc. I came up with a foam core "table" that seats over the gelatin plate and allows me to ensure the paper is oriented in the exact same position each time I print with a new color. The opening of the foam core frame is just a little larger than the plate itself, which allows me to keep the sublte organic shape of the gelatin, which I like. A little double sided tape on the bottom of the jig helps it stay in place once I place it over the gelatin. Sharpie marks on the surface of my work table also help me position the jig in the same spot each time. I also threw a coat of Mod Podge on the jig to hopefully help it wipe clean of any unwanted ink. I was able to test drive this registration system on a couple of quick 3 color prints and was fairly pleased with how everything lined up.
12/23/25 : Independent Study in Gelatin Printing
Next month I have to renew my teaching certificate and part of that process involves earning additional college credits. I had been enrolled in a course on Printmaking with a Gelatin Plate at the Kansas City Arts Institute. Unfortunately, that class was cancelled and I was left scampering for a way to get two college credits before my birthday on January 24th. Long story short, one of my former professors at Washburn University was able to pull some strings and set me up with an Independent Study. Since I am already a printmaker myself, and I’m particularly fond of monoprinting, I was very excited about the KCAI class on Gelatin printing. So, it only made sense that my independent study course through WU would focus on the task of teaching myself this art form.
Gelatin printing is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It is the process of hand pulling prints off a printing plate made of gelatin. This gelatin plate is inked in much the same way as any traditional plate and is supposed to yield a higher degree of detail than a traditional glass or plexi plate. So after watching a few hours of YouTube videos, I purchased some Knox Gelatin and made my own plate. Thus far, I’ve spent one night in the studio experimenting and I’m very encouraged by the initial prints. You can actually get results that are quite painterly which is especially exciting since I would consider myself a painter first. The gelatin is also easy to work with since it does not require a press, in fact, light hand pressure is all that’s needed to transfer the ink or paint onto the paper. This frees up time to focus on experimenting with various materials to create interesting textures and other effects. I have to accumulate 90 hours of time before the middle of next month. So I will be committing pretty much every free moment I have to this endeavor over the next several weeks. I’ll continue to post updates here though as I discover more about this fascinating printmaking process.
Gelatin printing is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It is the process of hand pulling prints off a printing plate made of gelatin. This gelatin plate is inked in much the same way as any traditional plate and is supposed to yield a higher degree of detail than a traditional glass or plexi plate. So after watching a few hours of YouTube videos, I purchased some Knox Gelatin and made my own plate. Thus far, I’ve spent one night in the studio experimenting and I’m very encouraged by the initial prints. You can actually get results that are quite painterly which is especially exciting since I would consider myself a painter first. The gelatin is also easy to work with since it does not require a press, in fact, light hand pressure is all that’s needed to transfer the ink or paint onto the paper. This frees up time to focus on experimenting with various materials to create interesting textures and other effects. I have to accumulate 90 hours of time before the middle of next month. So I will be committing pretty much every free moment I have to this endeavor over the next several weeks. I’ll continue to post updates here though as I discover more about this fascinating printmaking process.
11/16/13 : KCAI Class Project : Partial Portrait w/ Fabric
Done! It's been a long time since I've been this happy to have simply finished a piece of art. And with pretty much no time to spare, I have to email these completed drawings by tomorrow. There are a few areas that got a little overworked on this, but all in all I'm fairly pleased with it. I'm thrilled to be done though!
11/15/13 : KCAI Class Project : Partial Portrait w/ Fabric
While I did make some progress last night, it was only after some fairly significant struggles. The ear initially gave me a lot of trouble trying to "dial in" the skin tones and find the right formula of colors to use to make it look accurate. Then after making my way across the face I realized the angle on the top of my eye was far to steep and I had to do a good deal of backpedaling to correct that. I finally threw in the towel at 11:30. I learned long ago to not work past your fatigue point or you simply run the risk of making more careless mistakes.
11/14/13 : KCAI Class Project : Partial Portrait w/ Fabric
I spent a little over ten hours in the studio yesterday and not only finished the teapot drawing, but made quite a bit of progress on this partial self portrait. The fabric is not complete and I'm ready to begin the face. I'm hoping to make some significant progress on it tonight, perhaps even finish it.
11/4/13 : KCAI Class Project : Partial Portrait w/ Fabric
This is the fifth and final project from my weekend adventure as an art student at the Kansas City Art Institute. The assignment was to create a partial self portrait that incorporated fabric. For the women in the class, this was not a problem. They draped the fabric over their heads like a hood and looked dramatically into the camera. For the guys, however, it proved to be more challenging to find a "masculine" solution to this assignment. Some of the men cleverly photographed their wives that evening, but since I was spending the night at Science City with my son's Cub Scout pack, this was not a a possibility for me. I finally decided to just tie it around my head like a bandanna and crop the photo to include only one eye and my glasses. This is officially getting me well outside my comfort zone!
I did not get near as far as I would have liked on this because I spent most of the morning Sunday struggling for direction on my abstract marbled paper drawing due to a lack of sleep from my Science City escapade the night before. So this then becomes my third piece of homework to complete in the next two weeks! Time to get to work! I will continue to post progress shots as I work on these.
I did not get near as far as I would have liked on this because I spent most of the morning Sunday struggling for direction on my abstract marbled paper drawing due to a lack of sleep from my Science City escapade the night before. So this then becomes my third piece of homework to complete in the next two weeks! Time to get to work! I will continue to post progress shots as I work on these.
11/14/13 : KCAI Class Project : Still Life
Done! Now, onto the partial self portrait...
11/14/13 : KCAI Class Project : Still Life
Here is the progress on the teapot drawing for my KCAI class after working on it late Tuesday night. I did not get a chance to work on it much at all yesterday. I am, however, taking a personal day
today so I'm hopeful that I can finish this drawing and get a good start on the partial portrait.
11/11/13 : KCAI Class Project : Still Life
I was gone most of this weekend at the FBC Youth Group Fall Retreat. I was able to chisel out a little bit of time though to get some more progress done on my teapot homework from my KCAI colored pencil class. I've got to complete this drawing and my partial portrait by Sunday. Yikes! Going to be a busy week! I'd better get to it!
11/3/13 : KCAI Class Project : Still Life
This is the start of my third project from the KCAI weekend class. It is also my first official piece of homework from the class. We have three projects that we need to complete on our own over the next two weeks.
For this drawing we arranged our own small still life with one object and a piece of fabric that we selected from an small assortment of patterns. We photographed the still life and printed a photo with a small portable printer. We are then using the photo as a reference for our drawing. Often times, working from a photo is frowned upon by a lot of art teachers. But in this case it was a necessity both because of the limited classroom space and the fact that the class only meets for 3 days.
I don't often work this realistically because, honestly, it gets a little tedious for me. I much prefer loose and expressive over tight and detailed. But, it is fun to get out of my comfort zone and do something different for a change. I'll continue to post progress shots of this drawing as I work on it over the next two weeks.
For this drawing we arranged our own small still life with one object and a piece of fabric that we selected from an small assortment of patterns. We photographed the still life and printed a photo with a small portable printer. We are then using the photo as a reference for our drawing. Often times, working from a photo is frowned upon by a lot of art teachers. But in this case it was a necessity both because of the limited classroom space and the fact that the class only meets for 3 days.
I don't often work this realistically because, honestly, it gets a little tedious for me. I much prefer loose and expressive over tight and detailed. But, it is fun to get out of my comfort zone and do something different for a change. I'll continue to post progress shots of this drawing as I work on it over the next two weeks.
11/1/13 : Ascension : Continuing Landscape
Today is First Friday! All of us art teachers at WRHS often try to commemorate First Friday by working on our own artwork in class. This capitalizes on several classroom opportunities. First of all, I always think it's of benefit for the students to see that their art teachers are practicing artists in their own right and that we teach from a prospective of experience. We also will often have some very relevant conversations when students question us about our own work and the processes and decisions we've made during the production of it. Having all of us work is also a nice way for students to meet the rest of the art department faculty, as we often encourage the students to go on their own "mini-art walk" and visit the other classrooms to see what's being done.
As a result, today I had a little time to work more on my current painting which will eventually feature the ascension of Jesus. In the act of sharing my artwork, I'm also often afforded the chance to speak about my faith. So, today I was able to continue and develop the ground layers and begin to dot the landscape with distant trees.
I won't be able to paint any this weekend, however, I will most certainly still be involved in some art making. I'm actually enrolled in a colored pencil techniques class at the Kansas City Art Institute as part of my teacher recertification process. While I'm going to miss out on a lot of family time, and my First Friday art opening at the Jones Gallery in Kansas City, I'm also looking forward to learning a lot of new tips and tricks with some Prismacolor pencils!
As a result, today I had a little time to work more on my current painting which will eventually feature the ascension of Jesus. In the act of sharing my artwork, I'm also often afforded the chance to speak about my faith. So, today I was able to continue and develop the ground layers and begin to dot the landscape with distant trees.
I won't be able to paint any this weekend, however, I will most certainly still be involved in some art making. I'm actually enrolled in a colored pencil techniques class at the Kansas City Art Institute as part of my teacher recertification process. While I'm going to miss out on a lot of family time, and my First Friday art opening at the Jones Gallery in Kansas City, I'm also looking forward to learning a lot of new tips and tricks with some Prismacolor pencils!
10/26/13 : Ascension : Developing Landscape
I did have the opportunity to paint on Thursday and I feel pretty good about the sky at this point. I began developing the landscape and bent the horizon lines up to echo the radial gradient of the sky. I also added a third layer of hills to what will become the Mount of Olives. I have resigned myself to accept the fact that I won't be finishing this in time to have it on display this month at the Jones Gallery in KC. I am, however, confident that I will have it completed for an exhibit of my work at Findables here in Topeka during December.
10/23/13 : Ascension : Developing Sky Colors
Last night I continued to dial in the colors on the sky. I'm trying to emphasize an obvious radial gradient in the sky to suggest Heaven opening up to receive Jesus as he ascends to take his rightful place at the right hand of the Father. The digital photo here doesn't quite reveal as well the finer details which I've been adjusting. But I'm hopeful to finish up with the sky today and began blocking in clouds and more landscape features.
10/22/13 : Ascension : Continued Underpainting
Tuesday night I continued to tinker with the sky and began blocking in the start of the landscape. I'm hoping to get this painting completed in time for it to be on display next weekend for the First Friday opening of my work at the Jones Gallery in the Crossroads Art District of Kansas City. In order to meet that goal I'd need to get it done by Sunday night, which is a tall order, but Lord willing I'll be able to get it done in time. Stay tuned to find out!
10/21/13 : Ascension : Getting Started
I started work on underpainting my next painting which will basically be an acrylic recreation of a digital painting I did for FBC's Easter service earlier this year. The painting is a depiction of Jesus' ascension into Heaven after completing his earthly ministry. It was one of my favorites from that series of digital works and I've always thought it would work well as an acrylic painting. (You can see the digital painting of "Ascension", and the other 11 images I created for the service here.
9/12/13 : Saul's Conversion : Carving the Block
Life has been incredibly busy lately. Between soccer, cub scouts, church youth group, and helping my kids with homework, there has been very little free time for making art. In spite of that, however, I've been using every spare minute I can after the kids go to bed to get this linoleum block of "Saul's Conversion" carved and ready to print. This is the same composition as my acrylic painting of the same name.. I should, however, finish cutting the block tomorrow night and be ready to start pulling prints next week. I'm planning on having matted and framed copies of the print available for purchase at the Aaron Douglas Art Fair which is next Saturday, September 21st from 10am-5pm.
I'm really looking forward to getting to visit with people and share the significance of how all of my artwork relates to my belief in the Bible and my faith in Jesus Christ.
You can see the finished block print here.
I'm really looking forward to getting to visit with people and share the significance of how all of my artwork relates to my belief in the Bible and my faith in Jesus Christ.
You can see the finished block print here.
8/24/13 : Saul's Conversion : Drawing on the Plate
Way back in December I had begun preliminary work on a block print depicting the same composition as my painting "Saul's Conversion". I'm finally able to now return to it and am hopeful to complete it in time to have prints available at the Aaron Douglas Art Fair. I've actually started over on a fresh block because the results on the first one just weren't satisfying me. At this stage I am drawing with Sharpies directly onto the linoleum block as I plan out my use of black and white in creating values and textures. The image was first transferred onto the plate from a pencil drawing, a process which reverses the image. It is necessary for the image to be backwards on the plate so that it will later print correctly onto the paper. A mild case of laryngitis and bronchitis has slowed my progress a bit over the past few days, but I'm still hoping to begin carving the plate early next week.
8/8/13 : Peace of God : Finishing the Green Line and Unifying the Circles
Nearly done now! After a lot of fussing and nitpicking, the green line is pretty well completed; although there are a few small spots I'm still not satisfied with just yet. I also realized the three larger circles in the background were all simply too different from one another and it weres confusing the composition and making it too hectic and busy. I've started efforts to try and unify those and make them all much more similar. One more session in the studio should wrap this up and then I'm moving on to a block print of my painting "Saul's Conversion". This painting is inspired by Phillipians 4:6-7. You can see the previous photo in this album to find a number of other scriptures that were referenced for this painting.
You can see the finished painting here.
You can see the finished painting here.
8/7/13 : Peace of God : Adjustments and Textures
At first glance there does not seem to be a great deal of difference between this shot and the previous one, even though the painting did receive a few more hours of attention. I enlarged to top of the purple oval because the magenta "Holy Spirit" line felt a little cramped. I also began developing some more preliminary textures on the green "Jesus" line. I collaged several pieces of torn green construction paper on the bottom, although it doesn't show up so well in this shot. I also printed some different shades of green onto the canvas with a Nerf football and by stenciling paint through a piece of dry wall tape. I am hopeful to have this painting done this weekend.
8/5/13 : Peace of God : Blocking in the Heart and Mind Circles
Last week was pretty well consumed by teaching the art class at Super Kids Super Kamp. I also spent several evenings working on the black and white line art for the Aaron Douglas Art Fair t-shirts. Perhaps I'll get to share that here soon! So after being so busy last week I was particularly thankful when my amazing wife offered to take the kids swimming on Saturday and allow me to have some time alone in the studio to get back to work on this painting, "Peace of God". The painting is inspired by Philippians 4:6-7 which promises that the "peace of God which passeth all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." I have started to add details to the small blue and purple ovals which represent our hearts and minds. In my Joyflow series, green lines always symbolize Jesus, and here it coils protectively around our hearts and mind, which are also being penetrated by the smaller magenta line which I use to depict the Holy Spirit. (There were a number of verses I referenced when planning out how to portray the heart and mind in this painting. For those interested they are: Jeremiah 17:9; Ephesians 1:13, 2:3, 4:23, 4:30; Romans 5:5,12:2; Matthew 15:19, Luke 6:45, 8:15; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17) I also often find myself thinking very "biologically" when imagining these spiritual activities taking place inside the hearts and minds of believers. Circles are obviously a reoccurring motif in many of my images, and more and more I've been thinking about them as the zillions of cells designed by God that make up the incredible wonder that is our body (Psalm 139:14). The presence of DNA in each cell, an unimaginably complex language bearing molecule, bears the signature of God perhaps more than anything else creation. In my mind, that makes every single cell precious. And so here I've depicted the large circle in metallic gold paint and tissue paper. I printed a grid on top of the gold to suggest the ever increasing layers of smaller and smaller complexity we find as we further investigate these incredible structures. I'm not quite done with developing this idea on the canvas, but I'm enjoying where it's headed.
7/18/13 : Peace of God : Developing Background and Adjusting Line
Now that the path of the line has been laid out, I began increasing the intensity of the colors in the background. Color can have such a dramatic effect of people and can really stir up an emotional response to a piece. I very much want the background of the painting to have a depth to it, an atmospheric quality. I want it to draw people in and to have a very calm and soothing effect because I'm attempting to use color to suggest the peace of God mentioned in Philippians 4:7. I've started collaging some yellow and white tissue paper in certain spots of the background to develop some textures. I also added some modeling paste, which is essentially artistic spackling, to parts of the line to encourage some textures there as well.There is still much work to be done in dialing up these colors and textures, but so far I am pleased with the direction of background.
Artists will often talking about struggling with their work which can sound strange to someone who has not had much experience with art making. But it is not uncommon at all for an artist to "get into a fight" with their work. It's understandable that when trying to explain having an argument with an inanimate object one tends to sound less than rational, but it happens more frequently than not with most artworks. Such is the case with me and my green line last night. While it was not a full blown fight, we did most certainly get into a disagreement. Thankfully I was able to convince the line to see things my way and after several fine tuning adjustments to the path of the line as it overlaps the circle, I'm once again feeling satisfied. It's worth noting that the changes may seem pretty minimal, or even unnoticeable, when compared with the last progress shot. But then again it's also worth noting that I can be exceedingly particular when it comes to small details. I do, however, take comfort in the fact that this kind of obsession is another attribute commonly shared by many artists!
Artists will often talking about struggling with their work which can sound strange to someone who has not had much experience with art making. But it is not uncommon at all for an artist to "get into a fight" with their work. It's understandable that when trying to explain having an argument with an inanimate object one tends to sound less than rational, but it happens more frequently than not with most artworks. Such is the case with me and my green line last night. While it was not a full blown fight, we did most certainly get into a disagreement. Thankfully I was able to convince the line to see things my way and after several fine tuning adjustments to the path of the line as it overlaps the circle, I'm once again feeling satisfied. It's worth noting that the changes may seem pretty minimal, or even unnoticeable, when compared with the last progress shot. But then again it's also worth noting that I can be exceedingly particular when it comes to small details. I do, however, take comfort in the fact that this kind of obsession is another attribute commonly shared by many artists!
7/7/13 : Peace of God : Laying out Line
The green line, which always symbolizes Jesus, has been faintly laid out now. It coils around two blue and violet circles that will eventually represent our sinful hearts and minds, but right now look more like a rotten olive. I am setting this up as an illustration of Philippians 4:6-7, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." The green line is coiling protectively around the heart and mind to allow the "Peace of God" to take hold and overcome our fears and doubts. Yellow is the color I always use to depict God the Father, and thus the atmospheric yellow background suggests his presence in the peace we experience through putting our trust in Christ.
6/27/13 : Peace of God : Developing Background
The background is now starting to really come into focus. I've glazed yellows, oranges, blues, and greens together to try and develop an atmospheric quality to the paint. Magenta "stars" have been spritzed over the colors as well. I've started creating some textures by printing paint onto the canvas with bubble wrap and nonskid foam pads. I've also used so rubber letter stamps to spell Philippians along the bottom of the canvas. In my last several paintings I've become very intrigued by the idea of the actual text of the Bible being included in the image. In this way the painting is not only inspired by the word of God, but actually contains it as well. And the word of God is power...(Hebrews 4:12)
6/25/13 : Peace of God : Underpainting and Collaging
After so many months of inactivity, by the time I had cleaned and arranged my painting space and reviewed my sketchbook it was already getting late. I could not, however, go to bed without getting something on the canvas. So I glued a few photocopies of the key verse (Philippians 4:6-7), hand wrote it in Sharpie, and quickly applied some yellow oranges in as an underpainting base coat.
6/25/13 : Peace of God : Sketchbook Planning
This painting is unique in the fact that I've had it planned out in my sketchbook since last September. I then became consumed by a series of special projects and exhibitions which included organizing an art auction for Trash Mountain Project, planing and completing an enormous live mural at a Christmas worship service for Fellowship Bible Church, showing my own art at the Cloister Gallery at Grace Cathedral, organizing an exhibition of Christian artwork at Warehouse 414, and creating a series of 12 animated digital paintings for FBC's Good Friday and Easter services. (Visit Special Projects for more info on all of these) Ten months later, I'm now able to return to this idea and actually begin painting. After rereading all of my notes and reviewing the Bible passages that inspired the idea, I dove in with a great deal of excitement.
The painting is inspired largely by Philippians 4:6-7, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
This has long been a favorite verse of mine and I love the imagery it evokes of Jesus personally guarding our hearts and minds. And we certainly need the help, Jeremiah 17:9 accurately points out, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?" But by placing our trust in Jesus we can, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, do our best to "be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2)
The painting is inspired largely by Philippians 4:6-7, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
This has long been a favorite verse of mine and I love the imagery it evokes of Jesus personally guarding our hearts and minds. And we certainly need the help, Jeremiah 17:9 accurately points out, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?" But by placing our trust in Jesus we can, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, do our best to "be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2)
This verse contains what is, to me, one of the greatest promises of our Heavenly Father. A peace with transcends understanding. Who wouldn't want to experience a peace that is beyond our ability to comprehend. It is available to us when we honestly, and earnestly, trust God with every thing in our life and seek his guidance on our every move. When we do this with genuine gratitude and sincerity we are guaranteed a life free from worry and anxiety. And we lose the anxiety because we are giving it to God, we are asking him to take care of the situations that are beyond our control. This frees us up to in turn be bold with the Gospel and our efforts to share our faith. Granted, this is much easier said than done, but it offers an incentive that makes it worth continually attempting with each new day.
4/10/13 : Unity 10 : Adding Layers
The colors in the line have continued to be layered up through both glazing acrylic paint and strategic colored pencil. A scrap from an old printmaking stencil has been added in the large curved green part of the line. I've been intentionally trying to make the fusion of these three lines somewhat confusing. In some parts it seems to have some depth as the lines overlap. In other areas they all seem flat, and in still other parts the lines are transparent and blend together. I wanted this inconsistency and visual confusion because if we are honest with ourselves, the triune nature of God is a little difficult to understand. Even the apostle Paul, in several books of the New Testament, referred to God and his kingdom as a mystery
You can see the finished painting here.
You can see the finished painting here.
4/8/13 : Unity 10 : Brightening Colors
Here the colors in the line are becoming more bold and vivid. Colored pencils are also being used to start defining some of the different colored areas of the line. I also added some modeling paste and glued some gauze to the line to begin to develop greater texture. The text of Ephesians 4:4-6 has also been handwritten in the bottom right corner of the painting. A second circle has been placed in the bottom left. There will eventually be three circles in the composition as another reference to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
4/2/13 : Unity 10 : Developing Sepatate Lines
The line is continuing to be developed as three separate lines in one, which is suggestive of the triune nature of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. The colors I'll be using in the line are the same colors I use symbolically in the Joyflow paintings to represent the Trinity. I've started adding some collage elements as well like some drywall tape and more tissue paper. I also found some old letter stamps we had and played around with those a bit too; stamping the word "ephesians" in the bottom left and the first four letters in the top right.
3/29/13 : Unity 10 : Blocking in the Line
Here the line is starting to take shape and get blocked in. While many of the artworks from the Joyflow series are filled with numerous lines, I'm also fascinated with the image of a bold, solitary line. I enjoy the singularity of one image carrying the weight, depth, and mystery of the triune nature of God. However, in this painting I'm interested in attempting to make suggestions of the three characteristics of Father, Son, and Spirit within the single line.
I'm also particularly excited about this painting because it's being created for a very specific and special purpose. However, I'm not going to share what that purpose is just yet! Stay tuned to watch the painting continue to develop and find out more!
I'm also particularly excited about this painting because it's being created for a very specific and special purpose. However, I'm not going to share what that purpose is just yet! Stay tuned to watch the painting continue to develop and find out more!
3/27/13 : Unity 10 : Getting Started
I got started on a new painting last night which will be the tenth in my Unity series. These prints and paintings are inspired by Ephesians 4:4-6. In my most recent paintings I've been very interested with developing textures and incorporating printmaking techniques. This beginning includes acrylic, tissue paper, sharpie, paint printed from bubble wrap, and a few photocopies of the verse from Ephesians.
2/8/13 : Unity 9 : Monotype
I had to go to the doctor this weekend for some pretty serious congestion and a cough that has been getting worse over the past several days. I used to dread getting stuck in waiting rooms until I realized it was a great opportunity to get a little work done. I have a very handy portfolio book with plastic sleeve pages where I store all my monotypes. Now, whenever I go to a doctor I bring my print book and my box of colored pencils. Then I don't mind how long I have to wait because I'm happily drawing away on my prints, dialing in details and emphasizing colors. It's not done yet, but I did quite a bit done on this one while waiting to be seen. Once it is finished this will be the ninth print in a series called "Unity" which is inspired by Ephesians 4:4-6.
You can see the finished monotype here.
You can see the finished monotype here.
12/22/12 : Saul's Conversion : Transferring to Block
Here the image of Saul is transferred to the linoleum block which will later be carved and allow for the printing of multiple copies. The image is reversed in the process of transferring to ensure it will print correctly. Next I will be planning out my light and dark values by drawing directly onto the linoleum block. This is the most ambitious block print I've done yet in terms of the details in the light and dark areas. I have an idea in which I hope to create a few more "painterly" effects, particularly in the light of Jesus which is coming down through the sky and taking Saul off his feet.
12/17/12 : Saul's Conversion : Light Box Preparation
I began work tonight on the lightbox to prepare an image for transfer to a linoleum block. Once transferred I can begin to carve the block in order to be able to print multiple copies of the image. This particular print will be a reproduction of my painting "Saul's Conversion" which is inspired by the account found in Acts 9.
