The painting for this month is special because it was the very first painting I did after deciding that I would give art a go in 2020. Little did I know what would unfold after I created this.
The story behind the photo reference is that in August 2019, my in-laws had offered to watch our girls for an evening so that Tim and I could go for a date. We both love being by the ocean so we decided to visit White Rock, which is a beach not too far of a drive from our place. We didn’t often get to go out just the two of us, so it was already memorable. Since it was a summer evening, we walked along the shoreline after dinner. As the sun descended, the sky began to put on a show. Tim, being ever-patient with me, watched with amusement as I snapped photo after photo of the sunset, even standing on the park bench to get a better shot. When I went to look for a reference photo for my first painting of the year, I knew I needed to try this one.
After I finished this painting, I shared it with family and posted it online. My father-in-law saw it and became inspired to commission me a series of paintings to gift to supporters of his non-profit work. With each new piece I completed and shared about, I received more inquiries and commissions. In the end, my art career grew from this one painting!
Aside from kick-starting my art career, this painting also holds deeper meaning for me because it now belongs to my cousin and his wife. My cousin has looked out for me my whole life, gifting us our honeymoon when Tim and I got married, and enabling me to fly to Toronto on a last-minute business class flight when my dad was dying. When his own mother passed last year, I knew I had to send this painting to them.
The verse for this month is from Luke 1:37, which says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” I chose it because I wanted it to be a reminder that God is One who holds all possibilities. We might have little seedlings of dreams, or challenges we aren’t sure how we will get through, but anything can happen with God by our side.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: When you look at this painting, what do you feel? How does the sky speak to you of God? What are you being invited to believe is possible with God?
If you enjoyed this post and want to read about the stories behind all the rest of the paintings in the 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!