What does it mean?

 What does it mean?

 Many of my paintings are large abstract oil paintings, and understanding them can be a challenge.  It is my hope that through some of my writings, many of you will be able to hook into the beautiful and curious aspects of this way of seeing. 

The painting below is representational in nature, but all the elements of art-making are in play.  I made it 13 years ago but recently took another look at it and reworked it.  All the abstract elements of landscapes as in this scene from Provence are still in my mind today and I am looking forward to showing you how they come together in different paintings.

 French Village  30x36"  Oil on canvas

I love to paint in the old places.  Places that existed in another time when life was slower and people took time to talk to one another.  A time when people read more and looked up to the sky in wonderment.  A time when hands produced the fruits of labor and when God was acknowledged.  When I visit places like Provence, France, I am reminded of other ways to live. The same feeling comes over me as I prepare for the Lenten season in the Christian church.   I humble myself as I attempt to let go of some of the distractions of post-modern life and as I take on new practices that cut into my schedule and my own desires.

I don't always succeed in my attempts, yet I come to Him in faith and trust His grace.  When I visit an old place, I come back to my 21st century community with a little more tenderness toward other people.  When I follow a Lenten practice, Easter is a more meaningful and a more joyful celebration.