How has the summer flown by already? I hope you have had a restful couple months and that you feel energized going into the fall. (I don’t feel quite ready yet but I hope you do!) As we enter into September, I have a heartwarming story to share with you.
“Heart’s Treasure” was a commissioned painting from another dear friend of mine from church. Heather and Mike were part of the same small group as Sue and Marc (whom I shared about last month) and Heather had also previously commissioned pieces with me before (you can read about those pieces in my Oct 2023 blog post.)
Heather’s late sister had been a lover of sunsets and often took photos of the sky. So Heather asked if I could do a painting of one of her sister’s photos to remember and honour her by. She had a space in mind in her home which helped us decide on a 11″x14″ canvas. Heather sent me a few photos she was considering and we discussed which one might make the best painting.
During the process of painting this piece, Heather looked back at the original photo and realized her sister had taken the photo on June 27, 2023. It felt poetically satisfying to deliver it to her on the one year anniversary of when the photo was taken.
I titled this painting “Heart’s Treasure,” as a reflection of the sister relationship and for the way photos of skies were Heather’s sister’s heart’s treasures.
It was such a joy for me to see Heather’s eyes light up when she saw her piece for the first time. What made Heather’s response extra special was that in the ten minutes it took for me to drive home from her place, she already hung it up and sent me a photo of it in its new home.
Thank you, Heather, for choosing to include me in this deeply meaningful way to remember your sister. May this piece always invite you into a calm space and remind you that you are dearly loved.
I chose this piece for September because the rich orangey-red sky colours speak to me of autumn. I hope that it offers you calm moments in the midst of your days.
For those with the Scripture calendar:
I paired this month’s painting with the verse from Matthew 6:21 (NIV) which reads, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I hope it can be an invitation to examine what we are truly valuing in our lives.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: This piece is a reflection of both love and grief. As you think about your own loves and losses, what emotions arise in you? Who or what might you count as treasure in your heart?
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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!