Sauli

Last month I had the great honour of being able to join an elite group of artists - just 500 worldwide - in order to further my progress in Photoshop Artistry.

I have been busy creating various pieces for various projects ongoing within the group, but most are not on a religious or faith theme.

This piece however, touched somehing quite deep and seemed to coincide with events concerning the Roman Catholic Church this week. So I decided to post it here.

I appreciate this blog has been rather neglected of late - my 93 year old dad's illness, near death and hospitalistion has affected life to a great entent.

However, I shall do what I can when I can.

Anyway, back to this piece! This is the background to it...

Sauli -This piece is named for Saint Alexander Sauli who became a bishop in a diocese where faith had died. He inspired the people to new faith, corrected abuses, rebuilt broken down churches, and founded colleges and seminaries.

As the word fractal originates in the Latin verb frangere - to break, shatter, I wanted a title encompassing that. With the women speaking out this week against the damage males are creating within the RCC, this Saint's name appealed! I discovered the name Sauli is actually a female name in some countries and liked everything that encompasses!

TFL!

Journal Your Christmas 2017

Day 1!
I want to try to combine more of the written word with a piece of art to illustrate that - if possible!
2017 has been a year of such great change but my faith is stronger than ever and I have learned so much and from quite unexpected sources!

Despite certain things remaining unsatisfactory and quite distressing, I find myself heading into Advent with more positivity and joy than in previous (recent) years.
TFL!
Bernie x

Lent 2016 - Day 20 - 29th February

Lent 2016 - Day 20 - 29th February 

Well I wasn't expecting anything like this to appear, lol! Well, it is what it is! Not one of my favourite pieces, have to say!

I really enjoyed reading Romans though and went on for a couple more chapters!
TFL!
Bernie x

Take me Deeper - October Week 4

Having been awake at 4am for a couple of mornings this week, I've managed to have some time to create and so can actually post my piece on time this week! I'm so pleased with this piece and it's definitely one that will end up printed on canvas and up on my wall!

October Week 4 - Resurrection Life

I again read through everything I wrote back in April and what struck me was that each week it's reference to the Light that's speaking to me!

I found points I'd made, taken from a commentary:
- walk as people who are conscious that the light is among them.
- walk in the light, believe in the light. To walk in the light we must first believe and trust in the light. Faith is the way we can see the light. As we trust the light we see the light. Believe in the light and trust and trust Him who is it. Absolutely we may rely on it, unconditionally we must follow it.

Then I opened up Photoshop without really expecting much to happen in the short time I had available...but the piece was as good as done within 45 minutes! I was almost open mouthed as I chose texture images that provided suggestions of a cross and a hill. With just a little enhancement, the picture appeared! Love it!!

I think - hope! - the image suggests someone who is living and trusting in the light. Someone who has hope and faith to see the light. Someone who relies on the light and follows it unconditionally.

Various CU textures and brushes, border, plus one of the HKC Praise Him digital images.
TFL!

Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - May Week 2

The speed with which this week has gone is amazing lol! Having a Bank Holiday on the Monday helped I suspect! If you haven't had a look around His Kingdom Come lately, do pay us a visit! There are lots of new classes and so much inspiration in the gallery, it's a wonderful place to spend some time with a nice cuppa!

For now, here is what I've been creating:

May week 2 - Dwelling in God's Presence

I did the recommended reading and these drew me to them the most:

Romans 14:19 - So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help to strengthen one another

1 Timothy 6:11 - But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

2 Timothy 2:22 - Avoid the passions of youth, and strive for righteousness, faith, love and peace, together with those who with a pure heart call out to the Lord for help.

2 Peter 1:5 - ...do our best to add goodness to your faith, to your goodness add knowledge...

2 Peter 1:10 - So my brothers and sisters, try even harder to make God's call and his choice of you a permanent experience; if you do so, you will never abandon your faith.

I also read Psalm 119 and made the suggested list and perhaps the ones that I felt I wanted to portray in my artwork the most were:
Happiness
Seeing wonderful truths
Pleasure
Receiving strength and wisdom
Will no focus on what is worthless
Will live in perfect freedom
Hope
God will search for us when lost
Will receive constant love and comfort.

Again, I had absolutely no idea of an image when I started. I'd had a vague thought about following on from last week's piece - the image of the 'lonely place', the hills/mountains, but had no idea how to achieve that!

I started with a couple of textures, blended, and then added an image of flowers, which, when blended, created the suggestion of a quite craggy pathway, I thought...one that might be found in hills or mountains. By chance (or not!) this combination of blends produced a little cross shape where I have mine! So I enhanced that a little and added the shadow. I wanted to portray walking along in that lonely place, along the ridge of a hill or mountain, towards the cross...but you can also see the pathway going on past the cross towards the great light.

I then flipped the flower image and used it in the sky area to create some interest there. The bright light is the ultimate destination - the hope, the comfort, the happiness. Yet the pathway is, I hope, one that feels strong and comforting - it will keep us safe and secure. Needing and wanting to keep focused on this pathway - with all its lumps and bumps (our ups and downs when we may need more strength) helps us not to look 'over the edge' and focus on things that are worthless.

So I hope this piece feels as if we have followed the path in last week's piece, up, into the calmness and peace of the hills and mountains, and in that quiet, 'lonely' place, we are surrounded by God's love. He keeps us safe and secure on the right path here. We can be refreshed and feel enriched, ready for whatever life can throw at us! We have so much to gain by focusing on Him and His Word.

TFL!

Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - March Week 3

Well, the strangest thing happened to me after I created this piece, so I'm not going to worry and overthink this!

I started creating this piece today just for fun, as my two daughters were both doing some art inspired by scissor metamorphosis...drawing a pair of scissors and then making them form part of another image. This was then linked to actual metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly...hence my image!!

I hadn't intended doing anything like this at all - the image in my head was much simpler and plainer and less complicated as far as Photoshop goes lol!

Now this morning I'd tried to start my March Week 3 piece and got nowhere, so just gave up.

When I got to the end of this piece, I just 'felt' this should be my March Week 3 piece! That worried me a bit as images like this can make people think of fairies - not anything to do with faith! I was worried what people might think. Then the thought came into my head to read again all the notes I made during my Bible study! So I did! And things started jumping out at me!

The girl looks pensive to me. The first verse I'd read was 1Cor. 2:16 - As the scripture says, "Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who is able to give him advice? We, however, have the mind of Christ." With that light shining onto the girl, it just made me think of the mind of Christ and her mind together.

The next verse I'd read was 1 Cor. 10:12 - Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test,he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out. I imagined that this girl could be facing a test of some kind...yet the landscape suggests she has a 'way out', a path to follow.

After reading several more verses, 1Tim. 2:5-6 jumped out at me - For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and human beings together, the man, Jesus Christ, who gave himself to redeem everyone. Again, the light shining on the girl just feels to me like the human being brought together with God.

I went on to read a few commentaries on various themes, but the one that really grabbed me was this:
Jesus Christ is our mediator, the connection, the bridge between God and us. Spiritual enablement flows from God through Him to us. God's power and God's faithfulness are the issues that are of supreme importance to us in these times. Are we constantly aware that our salvation lies in His hands? He has the power to save.
I like to think the light in the image is spiritual enablement; God's power flowing down upon the girl, bringing salvation.

Another commentary said: In the new creation, the spiritual creation, the sinner is perceived by God as dead and in spiritual darkness. Then God sends forth His spirit to draw the sinner to Christ and to spiritual life and light, making the sinner His child. It is God, by means of His Holy Spirit, who produces the new birth.

The original colours I was creating with were unexpectedly changed when I applied a texture and changed the blend mode. I instantly loved the muted tones, and I think it gives a hint of darkness. The light (the Spirit) coming forth to the girl is drawing her to Christ and into the light (the rays fall onto her, around her, enveloping her as a father might wrap his child in his arms).

So God produces the new birth...and the name of my piece...? Metamorphosis!

So I decided I could be comfortable with this being my piece for March Week 3! I think I've been TOLD!

The girl is a CU font; all the rest of CU brushes and textures!
TFL!
Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - March Week 2

The end of another week - or as I now think of it, the start of another TMD week lol! How time passes! I appreciate all the work that has gone into the creation of Take Me Deeper. The weekly devotionals are really making me think and read and helping me so much! if you'd like to join us, you can find details HERE!

March Week 2 - Take My Hand

Firstly I looked up the definition and synonyms for 'Worship'. Then I started reading with the thought of Take my Hand in mind.

Psalm 73:23 - Yet I always stay close to you, and you hold me by the hand.

Isaiah 41:13 - For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.'

Psalm 145:18-19 - The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of those who fear him. He will also hear their cry and save them.

Prov. 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

I was then given an image of several paths, some in light and some in darkness, with shafts of light illuminating various points on the path within the darkness. People holding hands. Light shining through trees.
The image turned out rather different from what I'd had in my head...for some reason the predominately dark image didn't want to come forward, the light had to be in control!!

So I have my people holding hands on the path - I liked the one big and one small as it can also represent God holding us by the hand as well as humans doing so! The light is casting lovely colours and the path is so 'directed'. There are little gaps in the darker areas outside the pathway, little paths that could tempt us to follow them; distract from the main path; but they go nowhere, and certainly not towards the light up ahead. The Spirit is still represented; the people walk with the Spirit towards the Light. As in last week's piece, I coloured to the people with a warm colour to represent being filled with the Spirit. Whereas last week's piece was more of an introduction piece, showing those walking towards the Light as well as those not, this piece feels more personal...more about our own individual walk towards the Light.

For this piece, I created a landscape with CU watercolour brushes and then merged that with one of my own photos from the beautiful gardens in Walmer Castle, (here in Kent, UK).

The Zoe Project - Artist Statement

Yay I started! My Artist statement on how God sees me!

I sat and found loads of Bible verses that give information on how God sees us and feels about us; to sum those up in one sentence: God truly loves and cares for you.

Then I put this piece together. I had the lady (downloaded from Old Design Shop) on my desktop and she seemed to be crying out to be used as a representation of me! Archetypal tea-drinking English lady, LOL! She was B&W so I removed the white and painted in the colours I wanted!

The stash is all from Altered Amanda's Studio and can be found HERE!

One of the Bible quotes mentioned us shining like stars in the sky, so this background seemed perfect! Then I used a couple of elements - saying the Time has Come and Time for a Change. I'm feeling my Faith is definitely growing and changing...evolving if you like as I gain in understanding and personal knowledge of Him. Also my art is changing and how I actually create as well. BIG changes!

The bird on the 'twig' of Love represents more words I found in the Bible...from Zephaniah 3:17 - The Lord your God is with you; his power gives you victory. The Lord will take delight in you and in his love he will give you new life. He will sing and be joyful over you.

Then to sum up all the times within the Bible quotes I found the theme of being precious to God, being loved by Him, I used the element saying that I listen to His words and He says I'm beautiful.

If you would like to join in on the Zoe Project, there's a link to the class in Altered Amanda's Store - just follow the link above!
TFL!
Bernie x