I've always heard that great pieces of art have meaning to them. I found that thought rather intimidating. I mean, what if I don't have anything to say? What if what I want to say isn't important? What if noone likes what I have to say?
As a beginning artist my first goal was to produce something visually appealing. I learned, like all artists do, about the design principles of line, shape, value etc. I practiced my drawing skills and worked on making my paintings better, striving for stronger designs and bigger impact. I've been painting seriously for over ten years now. While I wouldn't say I've "mastered" the design principles, they are coming much more naturally to me these days.
In 2011 I decided to try painting in a series. I'd heard this could help painters find their "voice," so to speak. The idea is that, by painting the same subject over and over the artist becomes more and more familiar with it, comfortable, almost bored. The artist is stretched to find new ways to depict the subject. Well, what do you know? I think it actually works! I started with a Sewing series, depicting buttons, ribbon, thread and material. I painted in both acrylics and watercolor. (You can see some of those works on this website.) At about the fourteenth painting I was becoming colossally bored. I started playing with two images, overlapped, altered, filtered. Both images are visable, yet when they are merged they create something that is unique and different from either of the originals. Why am I doing this? Why do these images appeal to me?
Here's where I'm going with this; I'm a believer in Jesus Christ. He is Lord and Savior of my life. "Lord." That's a word we don't use here in America very often but that word has meaning, impact. It means that He is on the throne of my heart and I am not. It means that His will should take precedence over mine. It means that my life should reflect His, and that daily I'm being transformed to be more like Him. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Oh, some days I fight it. I want my way. I'm stubborn and selfish and unloving. But the days that He wins, the days that He shines in me-those are beautiful. Those are good days. So, here's what I'm exploring with these images; The influence of Christ in my life and the transformation process. I'm not talking about some mystic, god is in me and I'm god, no, I'm talking about, "He must increase and I must decrease."
I hope you enjoy these pieces. I've had fun painting them and it's been an interesting challenge to try to express my faith on paper. I hope to be adding more paintings in the weeks/months ahead.
Art and Faith
"Button Box"
this was one of the last straighforward depictions in the series
"Fusion" September 2011
"Influences" January 2012
