What is happiness? The Chinese character says it all. It is made from 4 words, God, one, man and garden. When we are one with God, in our garden, we can find happiness. This one is a little smaller than all the others, its a 12 x 12. Now its time to work big again and with some new figures!
One advantage to working at a school that is in an old building, the heat goes out! NO SCHOOL TODAY! It is a studio day! Started this one a few weeks ago. I think the 6:26 collection has come full circle. The final word is freedom. After we realize that only in GOD can we be complete and find our self worth, that mans opinion of us holds no power over us, we have freedom. So the next few paintings will be called freedom! Here is the first. The Chinese character for freedom is stamped on the painting, but I couldn’t find anything relating to the symbols that make it up. I think I might use the Hebrew character in the next one.
16 x 20 acrylic mixed media
Some times when I am painting I will grab an old piece that never “became” anything, just because I need to play or try something new or maybe even just to take a break. This piece is one of those times. I think it was an owl I had started, but I liked the colors and the movement in it. A few months ago I had taken my class out side and we sat by the river and drew the birds and geese. I had been looking through my sketchbook and saw some of those drawings and thought it would be fun to make a negative space painting from the old owl canvas. So that’s what it is! A negative space painting that is very free, and looks like the motion of the geese I had captured in the sketches. Some day I will fly away, just like the geese!
9×12 mixed media collage
One of the Chinese words for garden is yuan. The image has amazing detail in it, it is made from the images, dust, breath, enclosure, person and person. This is very interesting to me because of the biblical significance here. Genesis 2:7 & 8 tell us that God made man from dust, breathed life into him and put him in a garden enclosure! The way that the person and other image for person are placed with in the image for garden, also is interesting. One person is coming from the right side of the other person. So the way the Chinese image is written is just like the story that the Bible tells us. Woman came from mans side. WOW, this gives me the chills! God is in the ancient Chinese characters, and now in my paintings. This painting has the garden image in it, as a reminder to us that we are complete when we are in the garden with our creator. Keeping with the 6:26 ransomed theme, God created you exactly how He wants you, and you are beautiful in His image!
In the Garden, mixed media collage, 13 x 18
I AM that I AM. Ehyeh asher Ehyeh. Sometimes we just have to remember that. The Hebrew writing under the figure says, I AM THAT I AM! This is how God responded to Moses when he asked God, “who shall I say sent me?” This is the name God gave himself, and this is the name Moses told the people. Sometime we just need to let God be God, and not question or fight it. It requires us to sit back and humble ourselves. That is what I am learning!
16 x 20 mixed media
The Chinese characters fascinate me. This one is called heaven. I found that the character for heaven is made from 2 other characters, great and one. So in heaven is the great one. Only the great one can ransom us from the lies this world tries to make us believe. I find it so interesting that the ancient Chinese characters tell these stories that we have some how forgotten. Once again ladies let me remind you that you are beautiful and worthy in Gods eyes! No one can steal that from you. The next character I will be exploring is garden!
Mixed media on paper
The summer is always very busy for me with all the art camps I teach. But I have managed to paint for a few hours each week! As many of you know I’ve been reading about ancient Chinese words and the meanings. This painting is called HAPPINESS. The characters that create the Chinese word for happiness are, God, one, man and garden. The ancient Chinese recorded Adam’s happiness in the word FU. It depicts the close relationship he had with his creator, as it shows God and the ONE MAN in the GARDEN. Adam enjoyed fellowship with God in a way that no other person has. I (we) can only find true happiness when we are in a relationship with our creator and we know our value to Him!
This theme is going strong, as I keep working on it I get more energized. These next few are becoming more emotional for me and personal because of circumstances in my own life. Painting is very healing for me….
Acrylic on canvas 16 x 20
I have been enjoying working on my art for these last few days. As school winds down, I find myself more relaxed and able to work on my stuff instead of lesson plans and kid art! Although I do love it! I really like the composition of this one and the Chinese characters. It has been really good to continue on a theme, I have enjoyed watching it evolve.
16×20 acrylic mixed media
It has been about a year now that I have been working with the figure. I didn’t do too much painting during the school year, no time with all the teaching, but this last week has been fun to get back into the studio for my own art! The figure keeps evolving, but the theme is the same. For all women to see their worth. This worth comes from with in. No one can give it to you. You need to believe that you are worthy. That is why these are called the 6:26 works. It is from the Bible. Matt. 6:26, “are you not worth more than the sparrows?…” God sees your worth, now it’s your turn!
mixed media, on paper
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