equal excitement

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September 11, 2006

Awesome experience!

Yesterday was a really great day! I painted. Not just any painting, but I painted in church.
I was asked to paint during the service, because we had a 9/11 remembrance service, and the arts were going to be the vehicle for healing.
I have seen people paint in church, and I have heard of people who have painted in church, and I had read people's experience of painting during worship, but I had never done it myself.

While intrigued and excited at the idea, I began to feel overwhelmed at the request, because I'd envisioned such a task to totally take place during the worship service, totally "lead by the spirit", and I began to fear that I would not be able to "perform" or create under these circumstances. Initially, I really thought I'd just say no.

Another problem was that by and large, I had not done a single painting in years. Maybe the seldom watercolor sketch, but nothing at this level. Being mostly driven by my boys' needs, I had largely put aside my artistic life until very recently.
From a technical perspective, there was also the issue of time and materials. I am great at watercolors, and fairly skilled with oil paints, but for this task, neither of these would be appropriate. Watercolors would not be visible from a distance, and oils take forever to dry! So, I thought about pastels and acrylics. Pastel isn't painting, of course, but being that this was to happen during our church's service, it would certainly be the quicker of the two. Acrylics of course are brilliant and strong, but I considered myself pretty much unskilled in that medium...
I decided to go with acrylics anyway, due mostly to my adventurous spirit.
After exchanging emails with a few people who've gone before me, I realized also that it was okay, and more than appropriate to prepare ahead, and have something in mind and even drawn on canvas, to then paint on.
I finally decided to make my way to the art store, to purchase a canvas, which again was part of uncharted waters. Due to the nature of my major in college, illustration not fine arts, I mostly used a different painting surface, and smaller at that.
I read the passages of the Bible which were to be the theme of the service, and also read some of the cross-referenced verses. I had been praying alot, and asking God to guide me and to prepare me as well as the people who would experience this in the service, and that it would be for His Glory.

I ended up focusing on these 2 verses as my inspiration...

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1

Keep me as the apple of the eye;
Hide me in the shadow of Your wings
Psalm 17:8

All this is specially awesome because I'm just getting back into my artist's life. And although I'm looking forward to all the opportunities I will have to draw and paint, and start an art-related business, I did not go looking for this opportunity, but God handed it to me, as an ushering into my "new" life.

You can look at the painting below. I drew out the important details the night before. The canvas was 22x28. I painted in the span of 1 hour. It doesn't have as much detail as it would have, if I worked on it for a week, but I'm very pleased with it.
I loved painting it, while experiencing all the other aspects of the service--Theresa dancing, Alex and Bobby and Kareem singing. Trina sharing about her cousin, Del monologuing, and painting while I sang, along with the whole congregation. It was awesome!

I had a plethora of responses, but it seems that people were pleased, and not distracted by it. I pray that it helped people to draw closer to God in some way. I know it did so for me.

Now, the big question is what to do with the painting...
1. I keep it.
2. Graffiti keeps it and diplays it.
3. I sell it and give the money to Graffiti.
4. Silent auction, all proceeds go to Graffiti.
What do you think?

I also want to thank onionboy as well as curious servant for being a source of insight and knowledge as well as inspiration. May God continue to bless you and keep you.

I'm entitling it "Shadow of Your Wings"

Posted by glassgirl at September 11, 2006 04:40 PM

Responses

Posted by: Raquel at September 12, 2006 05:43 PM

Posted by: Curious Servant at September 13, 2006 08:07 PM

Posted by: Owen at September 15, 2006 06:39 PM

Posted by: Sarah at September 20, 2006 09:58 AM