You might be an artist if #3

Not My Monkeys

Most evenings, my Beloved Husband "reads" to me from his Bible. Well, we listen together, and read from his Bible app, technically! He says that reading and listening at the same time helps him focus on the meaning of what he is reading. But there are times for me when it is really tough to stay still and listen, because suddenly I have a picture in my head, or maybe a feeling that I need to get my sketch book or paints. And it doesn't seem to matter what the particular sentence is about. Sometimes just a group of words sends my mind off into color and shape instead of words. 

Not My Monkeys
Painted in 2016

40" x 30"
Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas, painted edges

You might be an artist if you are suddenly distracted by a sentence - any sentence - and feel like you HAVE to get to your studio, or to your sketchbook, or even to a napkin and pen, so that you can paint or sketch or doodle what you feel and 'see'. This urgent call to create something seems to grow stronger for me the more I am actively involved with my art. When I am in my studio daily, or using my sketchbook often, I am more often aware when something is sparked (or maybe sparkled, I'm thinking) by unexpected words. There was a phrase being used (and maybe it is still in use) a few years ago that caught me, and resulted in this painting. The phrase is "Not my circus. Not my monkeys." You can see the original post here.

Toi

When I was homeschooling my daughter, one of our daily Bible class activities was illustrating something - anything - from the passage we were working on. At that time, we both used sketchbooks daily, but her 'final project' for each section we worked on was usually something more three dimensional. I remember how even then, words made me think in pictures. This sketch is from a section in 2 Samuel where a king named Toi is mentioned. 

As an artist, I absolute love the feeling that I must get into my studio, even on the days when it is impossible for me to get there, because it means that I will be painting from inspiration. Inspiration feels energizing and full of hope. Even though often the resulting work is not as grand as the stimulus, it is invigorating to work from that passion. I wonder whether that drive to create is part of what it means to be created in the image of GOD. Here is an excerpt of some verses from the Genesis account of Creation. 

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image;
He created him in the image of God;
He created them male and female.
God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. ... God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day."

In what way are you creative? What kinds of things bring you that inspiration?