Heart & Soul

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Heart & Soul

Remember those two or three piano duets that everyone could play when we were all young? (Sorry to those of you readers who are too young to remember them; they were a lot of fun.) There was the ubiquitous Chopsticks, which I have found a great version of here on YouTube. Then there was the one where you rolled your fist across the black keys as part of the melody. And of course, last but far from least, was Heart and Soul. Once in a while, both my siblings and I would sit all three across the piano bench and play one of these songs. Sometimes we would get pretty creative with them!

36" x 48"
Painted with artist quality heavy-body acrylic paint on 1.5” deep gallery wrapped canvas

Soul is a word that seems to carry a lot of weight, at least in our culture. I knew that I wanted to paint a work about soul, and started out with some of the color palette (black and white piano keys, anyone?) and composition already in mind on this one. "Soul" sparks my imagination, and also pulls at my emotions. Swirling wind comes to mind, as well as music and sparkle and depth. 
This is the piano my 
siblings and I played!


We use this word in lots of ways, like someone being the "heart and soul of the party" or like a boring book or movie being "soul-less". Of course, there is also soul food and soul sisters and you can probably think of other common uses, too. 

The first feeling of inspiration with the word soul came for me as I was reading my Bible, as you know my inspirations often do. Ever since I started working on the painting in late April or early May, I have been thinking and reading about it. (I actually love that part of my work - filling each layer and brushstroke with thought, meaning, and emotion...) I was intrigued with a lot of the uses of soul in the Bible. 

I noticed that very often in the Old Testament, especially in the first five books, the word is paired with heart, as it is in this beautiful verse.
Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 

When found in the Psalms, often soul is used in a longing or desperate way. 
Psalm 86:1-4 Incline Your ear, Lord, and answer me;
For I am afflicted and needy.
Protect my soul, for I am godly;
You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.
Be gracious to me, Lord,
For I call upon You all day long.
Make the soul of Your servant joyful,
For to You, Lord, I lift up my soul.



And two verses from the New Testament that I highlighted are these. (These are particularly meaningful when read in context. You might enjoy reading these chapters!)
Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Hebrews 6:19 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters within the veil

Oh, there is SO MUCH more that I would love to tell you about my learning and my thoughts, but I hope that my painting will be able to do some of the "talking". 

Coram Deo.

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