I set about to capture the glory of the burnt bracken and the strong light of the winter landscape but as I laid down colours I got excited and inspired and it wasn’t long before I found myself with a canvas of glorious colour but with no coherence!
Here are a few examples of the lush details I fell in love with.
I admit that for me one of the joys of painting is resolving such issues. But with this painting it was more than challenging. I had to bravely dispense with some of my bold colours by either removing them or toning them down with glazes. It was fun but at the same time traumatic because I was tempted to hang onto elements that were lovely in themselves but essentially were at odds with the painting as a whole.
It reminded me of Jeremiah in the Bible who was shown something powerful by God in the potter’s shed. God showed how the potter had to destroy his work in order to produce something better. This was how God was going to deal with His wayward people. Ouch!
The Lord gave a message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Jeremiah 18:1-4
I guess the challenge is: What are we hanging onto in life that is rather lovely and enjoyable but potentially detrimental to what God wants to do with and through us?
For me this might be an unhelpful mindset or a time-wasting pass time. It is hard to change mindsets and I think it can only really be done through repentance and submission to God. As for giving up time wasting activities, well it’s down to discipline! As I said… it’s challenging!
So let us submit to God and let Him work a wonderful masterpiece!
And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. Don’t be so angry with us, Lord. Please don’t remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people. Isaiah 64:8-9
