The Romance Series
I Can Draw A Tree
From the time I was a small child, I loved art, but I told myself that I could only be an artist if I could draw a realistic tree – a feat that always alluded me. So I never allowed myself to be an artist. But through waves of love over the last few years, something has changed. And now, with my first-ever “commissioned” piece, I have drawn a tree. It is not a realistic tree by normal standards, but I have learned to question what truly is real. We live in dimensions of heart and spirit that typically go unnoticed by the natural eye. It is to this greater reality that my art sways. So now I declare: I can draw a tree. I am an artist.
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
Revelation of The Shin
It began more than 2 years ago when I asked God about a friendship with a man that appeared to be deepening to some truly precious territory. God’s response: “Your paths are aligned for now. There is a Shin here.” What is a Shin? Well that truly has been the question. Literally, it is a Hebrew letter that looks a lot like a “W.” Research has revealed that it represents both fire and the number 3. (A cord of 3 is not easily broken.) That friendship did continue to deepen at a pretty tremendous speed until one night in prayer I felt the Shin branded upon my heart…OUCH! And soon after, I found myself completely broken. The man had played heavily in the romantic garden of my feminine heart, but had no intention of ever defining it as such. Having reached a point where I couldn’t even find my own breath, the friendship had to end (or at least be put on indefinite hold).
Nearly 2 years later, the kindness and love of God has taken me through cycle after cycle of healing. But the question has remained: What is a Shin?! It wasn’t until I was working on this piece that the answer, so long sought after, was revealed…Your life is meant to be filled with many Shins, sacred relationships where your hearts are aligned. The more aligned your hearts, the more fully there is a Shin. And my own delighted response: I am free! Cycle upon cycle continues...
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
Exploration of Romance
What does it mean for 2 souls to come together as one? What does that journey look like, from the beginning steps all the way to a lifelong, ever-deepening commitment? The 2 becoming one…What a mystery! In this piece, I used the stereotypical colors (pink and blue) to depict gender, with purple being the meshing of the two lives into a new being. Nothing seemed to work until I added…Red, a representation of God’s love for us. A cord of 3 is not easily broken. This also represents Grace, something so needed as 2 unique souls crash and stitch together.
I saw that all of the colors were so needed. Each person maintains their uniqueness, while the 2 together (purple) become its own amalgamated entity. I found that I struggled to add more pink, thinking it would overtake the piece. When I finally did, I saw that it was actually blue that had been crazy dominant. So ladies, once you add in all of God’s love and grace, don’t forget to be fully present yourself. You are absolutely a priceless element to the overall equation.
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
Second Chance At Love
After creating Exploration of Romance, I was not satisfied. Lessons along the way had taught me how important it is to be fully present in love. A woman must know who she is to truly be infused into the mystery of two becoming one. Since this truth was learned fairly late in the process of the original piece of art, I decided to create this second piece, incorporating all of the lessons I had learned. This time equal parts pink were added EARLY, as well as throughout the development of the art. And in my romantic journey, I am learning to explore my own beauty now so that I will be fully present in the exploration of romance.
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
Abundance
My roots go deep into the heart of God. In Him, there is always abundance, no matter what things look like on the outside. Ridiculous levels of pain and suffering along the way have caused me to always dig deeper in. After all, where else would I go but to the Source of everything good, everything pure, everything lovely and precious and perfect.
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
The Feminine Mystique/Be Your Bad-Ass Girly Self
Do not be afraid to explore all that makes you who you are. You are NOT too much! You are NOT too girly! At the same time, even the girliest of girls isn’t all pink. God is both lion AND lamb…and so are we!!! Let the layers upon layers of who you are be added without shame, and trust that something beautiful and truly unique is being revealed in you!
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
Letting Go/You Are Not A Cat
With this piece, I explored the question of how/if/when you should walk away/let someone go. Interestingly, the first iteration of the art itself made me consider abandoning the piece. I gave myself some space/time away, and then later came back to it and created something that I truly love.
Beyond the most obvious lesson, this piece speaks of the uniqueness of each individual soul. Even with those whose hearts greatly align with you own, there will always be vast differences that can breed both tension and beauty. Additionally (unlike with my beloved 18-year old cat who has always dearly been focused on solely loving me), no human relationship exists within a vacuum. We are intrinsically connected to the rest of humanity, and no individual’s connections will ever fully mirror your own.
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
Network of The Shin
Our lives are meant to be filled with Shins (sacred connections). The more aligned your hearts are, the more of a Shin there is. And there are so many different ways to align!!! When you look at the larger tapestry, we are all connected.
So what creates the inner makeup of your heart? I believe it is a mixture of your own unique, intrinsic beauty and choosing to trust in God to fully reveal that magic. For myself, it all begins and ends with the love of God. And while I know that there is still mystery upon mystery to discover, these are the 3 essential areas of my heart where I know alignment with others creates a Shin: A Sweet Spirit/Love of Beauty/Love for People, Child-Like Wonderment/Innocence/Silliness, and Passion/Dance/Art/Music.
So as I near the close of this series, I reach out to you with this 2-part question: What are the things that cause your heart to align with others? And are you happy with your answer?
24 x 24 Lenticular Print, Framed in Black & Ready to Hang
It Is Finished
It’s a symphony of experiences and emotions beyond what words can express, a grasping/a prayer to find the multi-dimensional fullness of reality beyond normal perception. In this final piece of my Romance Series, wonderment and awe crescendo in the delight of God’s love and ways (simultaneously too large and too small to fully grasp). And thus on this galactic journey that spans both the micro- and macro-verse, we have just begun…
