The Bigger Picture – the first painting completed

At last the news is that I have started the new series of paintings and on Friday finished the first one.

 For several weeks before I went into the studio, I was getting so many images in my mind that I couldn’t even sketch them before I had the next idea.

I don’t I’ve ever had such an experience before, such a burst of creativity!

Just as I was about to start, I was thinking about the scripture that would go with the picture. I felt the Lord say to illustrate Psalm 139 from my own perspective and experience.

As I sat and pondered this, in trepidation, I realised that many of the images I had thought about may fit in somewhere in the psalm.

So with great excitement and plenty of nervousness I went into the studio to start. It’s been such a long time since I worked in there, that I felt as if I was on the edge of a cliff with severe vertigo!

Strangely, even before I started, I thought it would be great to paint on a piece of silk that was mid width between 90cm and 140cm. I took out a remnant of silk, instead of from a roll and found it to be 110cm. I have no recollection of buying a piece that size and had to build a new frame for it. I cut it in half, thinking I would have 2 paintings that width and started to paint what I thought was a great image. Two days later after many hours I had to abandon it. It just wasn’t beautiful enough!

Then came the revelation!

I felt the Lord say “who are you painting for? You or me?”

So I took the silk down and started again with the spare piece of silk and painted what I think is His picture.

It is so different from my original idea and so much more profound. It illustrates verse 16.

Only 4 people have seen it so far, so I need to wait and see if is right before putting it on the web page.