Hello friends, it’s May! This is my favourite month, partly because it’s my birthday month. The story behind the painting for this month also warms my heart. I hope it warms your heart too.
“Heart | Home” was a unique commission from a relative of ours who wanted to surprise her mother for Mother’s Day. Her mother loves sunsets and the image was based off of a photo that her mother had taken from their backyard. Part of what made the gift especially meaningful was that the two of them lived in separate cities and she was able to give her mom the painting in person while she was on a visit.
Another special thing about this commission was that I had painted a smaller concept piece before doing the larger one and I gifted the smaller piece to my client so that she could have matching artwork with her mother. I wanted them to have a reminder of their connection in spite of their physical distance.
I titled it “Heart | Home” because those two words came to mind when I thought about the mother-daughter connection and this mother-daughter relationship in particular. A daughter will always be in her mother’s heart and the mother will always be her daughter’s first home. Mothers and daughters are not immune to tension but that relationship shapes us at a foundational level.
For me as an artist, working with this client was a dream project because she knew exactly what she wanted yet gave me artistic freedom. It was such a joy to work with her and to hear about her mother’s response to the piece. The fact that they are part of our extended family made it all the more precious and enjoyable.
I chose to include this piece in my calendar for the month of May partly because it’s a Mother’s Day story and partly because I love the colour purple and I wanted a purple sky for my birthday month. I hope it brings a sense of calm and hopefulness to your days this month.
For those with the Scripture calendar
This month’s artwork is paired with Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” I love this image of strong and comforting Divine arms protecting us and sustaining us. Like a mother cradling her child, I picture God holding us in love. We are eternally safe.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: In what area of your life are you longing for refuge and support? Who in your life offers you this sense of safety? To whom can you extend this kind of love to?
Thank you for all your support!
My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the support you have shown me for my Tiny Expanses art show! Over the course of the two week show, over 150 people came to see the pieces in person and 70 of my paintings were sold. If you missed it, you can still view and purchase my work at my web shop. There are still some beautiful pieces remaining and would make lovely gifts or additions to your home.
Thanks for being a part of history! I will forever treasure the experience of my first solo art show.
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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!