A Special Gift

A Spring Storm is Coming, Lizzy O. 2019, age 11

16” x 20'“ Acrylic on Canvas

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a]path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, he prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3 NASB

This precious painting was gifted to me by one of my sweet students this week. Her name is Lizzy. She told me when she gave it to me that it reminded her of this Bible verse. How wonderful that she connected her art with her faith in this way and at such a young age! I really get quite tongue-tied and teary-eyed when a student gives me a piece of their artwork. That day it seemed like too much.

I understand the joy and contentment and sometimes the frustration and emotion that goes into each piece. I understand the process of conceptualizing and translating from your imagination into tangible form. Sometimes there is divine inspiration and your work flows from you, other times it is gritty work. But always there is a fragment of yourself embedded into the sea of color and canvas. This is why it is such a beautiful gift, I know what it means to give away a part of you. It is the best and hardest part of being an artist. That is why I feel incredibly honored by such a gift. Thank you dear Lizzy!