For the month of July, I chose to feature (what I think is) my best work from 2021. It is also the cover for my calendar this year. I painted it while taking a Sabbatical and it was a deeply personal project. “Irresistible Grace” is on a 3-feet by 5-feet large canvas and took about 24 hours of painting time to complete.
The image of this painting is based on a photo I took at French Beach, on the coast of Vancouver Island. Our family had travelled there last summer with our parents for a getaway and one of the evenings, we decided to go sunset chasing at the nearby beach. I wanted to remember our time by the ocean and during our vacation, I did a small 6″x6″ painting of this moment. When we returned home, I knew I wanted to try a larger version of it.
A couple weeks later, I had two weeks set aside for resting and personal rejuvenation. I had bought the large canvas a while ago and was waiting for the opportunity to create something with it. The first week, I worked on setting up the groundwork for this painting and the second week, I stayed by myself at my in-laws’ apartment and focused entirely on completing this painting. I had never painted such a large image featuring water before so it was a new challenge for me.
The journey of creating this painting reflected my personal journey of that week. I had decided to be offline and to spend it in solitude, which I knew would be stretching but good for me. Initially, there was excitement, and then it felt terribly difficult, and ultimately, it turned into something beautiful.
After I completed the painting, I pondered what to name it. The title, “Irresistible Grace,” came to me while I was on a walk. I reflected on how ocean waves are relentless and how God’s pursuit of us is also relentless. I thought about how vast God’s grace is and how I cannot resist it, try as I might. I thought about my experience of creating the piece and of everything it symbolized for me, and the title was born.
I chose the verse 2 Corinthians 13:14 to go with the painting this month because it speaks to the theme of grace. It says, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” I love these words of blessing because they call on all three members of the Trinity and remind me of the unique gifts each member offers to us.
I hope that when you see this painting, you would be invited into the movement of grace and hear the beckoning of Love.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: What draws you in about this image? Which element(s) speak to you of God’s presence? Where in your life do you long for these waves of grace to touch?
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!