Welcome to 2025, my friends! We are finally able to use my calendars! A special welcome to those of you who are joining for the first time – I really hope that you enjoy reading the stories behind each month’s painting and that you find something encouraging and/or relatable in each one.
It only seemed appropriate to begin a new year by featuring a piece about a sunrise. “As Sure As the Dawn” is a triptych (fancy word for a three-part painting) that a friend of mine had commissioned me to do in 2022. She had recently moved homes and wanted a piece for the wall by her piano. She had seen some previous triptychs of mine and knew that she wanted one.
For the subject of the painting, we combined a photo my client had taken on a personally significant trip in Sedona, Arizona with a beautiful sunrise sky, to represent the start of a new chapter in her life. We also worked together to determine the composition. I thought it was important for each panel of the triptych to have a focal element so I emphasized the rock formation on the left panel, a path in the center panel, and the sun rising on the right panel.
I titled it, “As Sure As the Dawn” inspired by the Bible verse that says, “Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring” (Hosea 6:3). My hope was that this painting could be a reminder of how God faithfully shows up when we open ourselves.
As we enter this new year, my wish for all of us is that we begin with hope. May we stay watchful for all the ways that goodness, love, and beauty show up, even in the darkness of winter.
For those with the Scripture calendar:
The verse for this month is the one this painting’s title is based on. “Let’s press on to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn” (Hosea 6:3). As we begin a new year, I see this as an invitation – to continue to lean into pursuing and knowing the One who created and sustains us. In the coming week, Tim and I will be doing our yearly planning day and these words help me remember the greater vision even as we plan and discuss the daily matters in our lives. I also hold on to the promise in this verse, that when we seek God, God will come to us.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: What, if anything, is “dawning” in your life at this time? What are you hopeful for at the start of this year? Notice the rocks in the painting, what or who in your life is constant and steadfast like the rocks?
If you enjoyed this post and want to read a monthly art story, remember to sign up so future posts get delivered to your email! Throughout 2025, we will be hearing the stories behind each month’s painting in my art calendar. (Add me to your contacts list or you might need to check your promotions or junk folders if you don’t see the email.)
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.