Week Four

"as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death II" oil and oilstick on masonite 24x48
After take this painting out to photograph last week I saw a number of places, which seriously needed to be revisited. Originally I was excited about exposing some of the support in places but upon reexamination it was clear that that was a bad idea. as you can see my touch up mainly focused on those points.


"how many way might we know Thee" oil and oilstick on birch ply 39x48
I am both attracted to and still afraid of the birch ply. I remember the first time I sat down with a piece I meditated with my eyes shut for a while and when I opened them it was most clear to me that the board was perfect as it was. Who was I to change it. I believe you can see that balance in this painting as well like the ones I did before; I have tried to preserve the grain in places by using broad washes heavily diluted with turpentine. Working with a textural support in a spiritual mindset reiterates the Trust required in the human-God relationship. Even after sitting in awareness of that of God in the support and that of God in the paint and that of God within my self, I still hesitate before I make my first mark. What if I don't make the mark God wants me to make and why does God want me to make that mark any way and is that God who is compelling me and how does this reflect upon my past work and what is the significance of starting a painting for an independent study around a single event if I have know idea what I am doing now in this moment with paint? but I did Trust some how, I had faith and it does relate to my experience and my ongoing dialog concerning it. ain't it amazing


"Jacob wrestled the Angel of the Lord" oil on masonite 24x36
I don't have much to say about this right now. It's a work in progress and it will be a depiction of Jacob wrestling the angle of the Lord in Time Square NY. I was read my journal the other day and I saw a note about this as an idea for an etching, which I never did. part of my larger purpose at that point was to place biblical stories in a contemporary context in order to bring greater meaning to a contemporary audience. I will say more in the weeks to follow.