Hello friends, welcome to a new year! I am excited to be journeying with you through this year’s calendar and introducing you to the stories behind each piece of art. I believe that hearing the story behind a painting adds to the depth of appreciation for it so I hope to serve you this year by sharing these stories.
The piece, “Steadfast,” that greets us each day in January has a sweet story behind it. In 2020, toward the end of my very first year of selling my work, a dear friend of mine contacted me and asked if I could create something as a Christmas gift for her husband. Our family has been friends with their family since before either of us had children and I was honoured to be asked to paint something for them.
My friend wanted an image that captured a moment from their family cruise to Alaska the year before. If you recall, 2020 was the first year we had lockdowns and travel restrictions, so having a painting of a family trip was extra meaningful and brought back many happy memories. She had taken some photos of Glacier Bay during their trip and sent them to me as a starting point. I also looked up some reference photos online and the final image became a blend between one photo of the glaciers, and another one for the sky.
I titled it, “Steadfast,” because as I painted it, I reflected on how the ice in the glaciers can melt and water ebbs and flows, but the mountains remain firm. It reminded me of how this world and the circumstances in our lives can shift and change, but God’s love that sustains and holds everything remains steadfast. I also titled it as a blessing for my friends, that their marriage would be a place of steadfast love.
The painting was 11″x14″ on a slim canvas and my friend asked that I frame it in a white floating frame. The end result was beautiful.
It was super fun to keep it a surprise and figure out a way for my friend to get it home without her husband noticing. On Christmas day, I received several photos of him holding the gift with a huge grin on his face, along with the note, “Huge thank you! He was so impressed with the piece. We are all loving the painting in our home!” and knew we had accomplished our mission.
I chose to put this painting in my calendar for the month of January because the icy blues felt suited to the chilly winter month. I paired it with the scripture from Psalm 107:43 that says, “Whoever is wise… let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord” because the beginning of the year is often a time when people plan for the year. It felt like a good reminder of where wisdom comes from.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Which parts of this painting are you drawn to? Which parts of your life feel like they change easily, like water? Which parts of your life feel like they change slowly, like the glaciers? What in your life is steadfast?
Buy One, Gift One – Special 2022 Art Calendar Offer
With the pandemic rolling on so relentlessly and January being a difficult month for many, I wanted to offer a way for you to encourage the people you love who are struggling – particularly healthcare workers, teachers, and those who have lost a loved one. Many of you have told me that my paintings in the 2022 Art Calendar are comforting and bring a sense of peace. I hope they can bring some light in these dark times.
For a limited time, if you buy a copy, I will gift a copy on your behalf. Simply order one copy of the calendar from my Buy One Gift One page and let me know who and where to send the second copy to in the Additional Notes section of the checkout. If you already have one of my calendars, you can let me know where to send both of them. Shipping is on me, because I want you to have one less thing to worry about. Act quickly though because these are the last available calendars and there are only 6 sets of them!
Here’s to sharing beauty and bringing hope to the world together.
PS. Thanks to your amazing enthusiasm, my 2022 Art + Scripture Calendars are all sold out. The Buy One, Gift One offer is only for the remaining Art Calendars. Thanks for all your support!
If you enjoyed this post and want to read about the stories behind all the paintings in this 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!