Take Me Deeper - October Week 5

It doesn't seem possible we're almost into November! We've had some beautiful weather here and I made the most of it to get out with my youngest daughter and go squirrel watching - with our cameras of course! - in the nature areas of our local cemetery. This has sparked a new interest in my daughter, and we've spent a fortune on monkey nuts and hazlenuts this week in an effort to encourage the squirrel we'd seen occasionally in our garden. Well, it was very successful and we have two regular visitors now, along with two jays (rare to see round here), plus a couple of robins, blackbirds and the usual wood pigeons, collared doves and other little birds who regularly visit! We've taken hundreds of photos and the squirrels will even stay in the garden now while we are out there!

Creating this week's art piece gave me so much pleasure as well, and I'm really pleased with it - another one to be printed on canvas and put up on our walls I think!

October Week 5 - Sanctuary

Again I was opening up Photoshop with not a single image in my mind!

I chose a few texture images to blend but then ran out of time. Coming back to it a couple of days later, I chose some different textures and blended them together with a couple of photos of mine taken at our cemetery on Tuesday in the nature reserve areas. I loved the effect - it seemed to suggest creation, with the stars and space feel, plus a hint of a sanctuary, with the person looking through a cave to the light. The lady is praising God, lifting her hands in prayer.

The Psalm, 63:1-5, within the Devotional really spoke to me the second time I came to create something:

O God you are my God;

I earnestly search for you.

My soul thirsts for you;

My whole body longs for you

in this parched and weary land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in your sanctuary

and gazed upon your power and glory.

Your unfailing love is better than life itself;

how I praise you!

I will praise you as long as I live,

lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

You satisfy me more than the richest feast.

I will praise you with songs of joy.

I hope I've captured the feel of those words within my piece.

I used several CU textures, my own photos, CU brushes and a HKC Praise Him digital image.

TFL!

Take Me Deeper - May Week 5

We had an extra piece to create this week, showing our own personal sanctuary, and I really enjoyed documenting our new patio area which is my sanctuary! Last year, the idea came to me to knock down the large summerhouse at the top of our garden, under the big tree, and in the May school holidays, we set to, having emptied it of all the 'stuff' that had been crammed in there since we moved here in 2010!

In the process of removing the roof structure, hubby fell from the ladder, landing on the concrete floor, and fractured his hip in 2 places and damaged his shoulder. It meant a stay in hospital and 6 weeks off work. he even had to go and stay with his brother for a couple of weeks as the have a downstairs toilet that could be accessed with the wheelchair! So rather a traumatic time for us all!

Throughout the summer, I went almost every day to pick up my cousin, who doesn't drive, and who is very talented in brick and plasterwork, as well as laying patios! As he is a Carer for his nephew, he could only manage a couple of hours every day, but gradually, it all came together and we are now so lucky to have this patio area, under the tree, and which is such a peaceful area (I think there's something special about sitting beneath a great tree!) and has such beautiful light displays as the sun's dappled light shines through the leaves and shadows dance on the walls. I'm very thankful to have this area.

The words on my second piece showing my sanctuary were written for the exercises we're doing in the HKC Book Club - it's not too late to join if you're interested! Just go HERE and click on the Book Club to join! I'm really enjoying it and it really is opening up new ways of thinking and practising my art and trying new things too!

So, here is my regular piece, followed by the extra piece showing my sanctuary:

May Week 5 - Rhythms of Grace Part 2

Jesus as our sustenance - I did the suggested reading and was perhaps drawn more to the following verses as I'm more familiar with those that mention food and drink...

John 6;29 - Jesus answered, "What God wants you to do is believe in the one he sent."

John 6:37-39 - Everyone whom my Father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to me, because I have come down from heaven to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me. And it is the will of him who sent me that I should not lose any of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them all to life on the last day."

When reading some passages about Life these verses really inspired me. I think I'm drawn to the imagery suggested by the words, and these verses are what influenced my piece this week.

John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Genesis 1:20 - And God said, "Let the water team with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of sky."

And the words quoted within the devotional are ones I absolutely love! - Numbers 6:24-26 - The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.

I had the image I finally produced in my head and it all came together so smoothly! I did experiment with putting the word 'peace' onto my page but it just disrupted the flow too much so I took it out.

Hopefully my image gives a feel of peace, light and life - the Lord's face shining upon us - with the creatures in the sea suggested and the birds in the sky. God's creation; it's beauty that can help us feel peace and focus on Him.

TFL!

Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - May Week 4

My posting is a little late this week as...we had an earthquake at 2.53am Friday morning!! It was 4.3 on the Richter scale and there have been no reports of any injuries or serious damage thankfully. It's only the second earthquake I've ever experienced, and the first one was during the daytime. This one taking place in the middle of the night and waking us from our sleep was even more disconcerting! I couldn't get back to sleep and spent most of yesterday in a stupor!

I'm feeling a lot better toady though, so here's my thoughts and artwork inspired by this week's devotional!

May Week 4 - Rhythms of Grace

Of the suggested readings these were the ones I felt most drawn to:
Psalm 29:11 - The Lord gives strength to his people and blesses them with peace.

Psalm 46:1-6 - God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the ocean depths; even if seas roar and rage, and the hills are shaken by the violence.

Psalm 62:1 - I wait patiently for God to save me; I depend on him alone.

Psalm 62:5-8 - I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. he alone protects and saves me; he is my defender and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honour depend on God; he is my strong protection; he is my shelter.

Psalm 68:19 - Praise the Lord, who carries our burdens day after day; he is the God who saves us.

Isaiah 26:3-4 - You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you. Trust in the Lord for ever; he will always protect us.

Isaiah 40:28-31 - Don't you know? haven't you heard? the Lord is the everlasting God; he created all the world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts. He strengthens those who are weak and tired. Even those who are young grow weak; young people can fall exhausted. But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed.

This week's piece was one that I actually had planed before starting. Basing it on Psalm 46;1-6 I wanted to portray us being within a cave, safe and protected, (perhaps a cave within the hills and mountains that have been the focus of all my May pieces to date), whilst outside the sea is rising into the mountains and crashing, roaring and raging. What was calm is not in tumult, but we are safe in the shelter of the cave - God's protection for us, keeping us safe - "we will not be afraid."

I have no idea why but this piece had to be done in these dark colours. I started off trying to make it lighter, to continue with the pale, light and calm colours I've used throughout May so far but it wasn't having it! I hope it feels more of a cosy darkness than a scary one though!

The birds and stars are in the sky still representing God's presence and the entire creation being His.

This one took a while and I was totally absorbed in it! It has over 140 layers! I started with about half a dozen textures all blended together and went on from there building up the image - definitely a labour of love!
TFL!

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