Sprouting

Sprouting

“Put the brush down, and back away from the canvas!” For me, it is always an interesting challenge to paint in a representational style while maintaining my own touch. The difficult part of the challenge is deciding when to stop ‘tweaking’ my work. I think many, if not most, artists know the difficulty.

Sometime during the last few harried weeks, I painted this reminder that spring will, in fact, eventually be here! We have a maple tree outside our picture window, and the red, blurry buds bursting open against the pale periwinkle sky almost always surprise me. Catching the still chilly weather with the blossom of promise was the goal of this representational work.

12” x 16” acrylic on 1.5” deep canvas, painted edges

SOLD

 

In my reading in the Old Testament this morning, I read how GOD chose to settle the grumbling of HIS people. They thought they should decide how and when they approached HIM – how and when to act as HIS people. They wanted to name themselves as leaders, rather than acknowledge Moses and Aaron, as GOD had said. So HE had each family chief bring in a rod – a bare branch - and promised to cause the rod to indicate HIS choice.

Numbers 17:5 “And it will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout. Thus I shall lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you.”

I was so amused at what followed. Did Aaron’s rod sprout? Numbers 17:8 “… and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms and it bore ripe almonds.”  So there!

When my world outlook looks bleak and chilly, I want to acknowledge the leading of GOD in my own life and circumstances. I want to see the sprout, bud, blossom, and fruit of HIS hand!