Hello friends, here we are at the end of the year. This month’s painting backstory is pretty short, but it does invite us into a reflective space. I hope you will spend the next few minutes with me.
“Gentle Quietness” was one of my final paintings in 2020 and the chilly weather had inspired me to try to capture the subtle winter sky. I repurposed a canvas board that my children had previously painted on and liked how the texture added extra interest to the piece. The sky was based on a photo my friend had taken and I added some snow-capped mountains. I titled it, “Gentle Quietness” because those two words capture the mood of a winter sunset. The muted colours carry a gentleness and softness to them and snow has a way of quieting the world.
I chose this piece for this last month of the year because December is usually a pretty full and hectic month and I wanted to offer some calmness to counter the busyness. For those who have the scripture calendar, I paired it with the verse form Psalm 116:7 which says, “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” A fitting reminder to remember the goodness that we experienced this year and to rest in that goodness.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Take a few deep breaths and notice your body – where are you feeling tension? Can you gently release the tension and feel the quietness settle in? In what ways are you being invited to “return to your rest”?
2023 Calendars – Get them while you can!
A big thank you to everyone who has purchased calendars for themselves or as gifts for others! Due to your enthusiastic support, I am starting to run low on the 2023 Art + Scripture Calendars so if you’ve been meaning to get some, now is the time. Calendars and notecards can be ordered via my website at this link or if you’re in Canada, you can message me the quantity and etransfer the payment.
Also of note, “Gentle Quietness” is my last remaining painting available for purchase this year. It’s 8″x8″ acrylic on canvas board in a lovely white floater frame and is only $125 (+PST if you’re in BC). If you’re interested in buying this original piece, please email me. As a holiday gift to you, I will cover the shipping. 🙂
If you enjoyed this post and want to read about the stories behind all the paintings in next year’s calendar, remember to sign up so future posts get delivered to your email! I am aiming to post them the second Friday of each month. (You might need to check your promotions or junk folders if you don’t see it.)
As always, I love to hear from you! If something in this story resonated with you, if you’re interested in commissioning a painting, or if you have other thoughts, feel free to email, or connect with me on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!