June in our family marks the end of another school year and with it, a whole parade of events. The piece for this month is intentionally calming because I know that I, at the very least, need that visual calm! I’m happy to be sharing this story with you and I hope you enjoy it. Since it’s a busy month for me, this will be short and sweet.

“Luminescent Spirit” was a commission from a lovely person who had followed my writing for a long time. (Fun fact: Tim and I quit our jobs and blogged/wrote books for a year before starting our marketing company – which was my work before going into art. My client had been a reader from those early days!)

For a while, my client had wanted a piece for their home but life circumstances prevented it. Now that life was more settled, she reached out to me for a custom piece.

Typically, when someone approaches me for a commission, I book an initial phone call with them to get a better sense of what they’re looking for. This was no exception. As we talked, my client told me how her favourite skies were gentle pink clouds. After the call, she sent me some photos of skies that she liked. We also explored what locations felt meaningful to her. In the end, she decided on the view from the lakeside in Muskoka where she had taken a retreat and where she had an experience of connecting with God. She gave me artistic freedom in terms of the lighting in this piece, which was really fun for me.

For her piece, I combined the physical elements of her lakeside photo with a soft pink sky that she liked. I added a slight glow behind the landform to add interest and depth.

I titled it, “Luminescent Spirit,” in reference to the glow of the painting but also as a reminder of the Light within her. I hope this painting brings her back to her time at the lake and that it offers her a space to remember that she is deeply loved.

For those with the Scripture calendar:
For this month, I paired the painting with Matthew 5:14 (The Message translation) which reads, “You are here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.” Just as colours become more vibrant in the sunlight, I love how this verse applies the analogy to us. We are invited to point people’s attention to God’s presence and activity in our world.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: What emotion(s) surface when you spend time looking at this piece? Notice how the light brings out the beautiful colours in the clouds, in what way(s) are you being invited to bring out the “colours” in the people and world around you? Who in your life brings out the unique and beautiful parts of you?

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. My subscribers also get occasional perks like exclusive previews and discounts. (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.

The post Every Painting Has a Story: June 2025 – “Luminescent Spirit” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

It’s May! One of my favourite months of the year – partly because it finally feels like Spring and partly because it’s my birthmonth. Also, I get double celebrations because of Mother’s Day. Appropriately, the story behind this month’s painting is a lovely tale of a mother and a daughter. I hope you enjoy it! [Note: I recognize that Mother’s Day can bring up a range of emotions. If you find this a difficult topic, please take care of yourself and feel free to skip this post.]

A few years ago, my collector had commissioned me a piece for her mother as a Mother’s Day gift. They both loved it and when my client herself had a baby, she reached out to ask if I could create a piece for her daughter’s room. She enjoyed the look of a triptych (three panels making up one piece) and requested that the image be of clouds with a multicoloured theme as a reflection of the meaning of their child’s name.

My client gave me a lot of artistic freedom and as we explored options, we landed on this ethereal, dreamlike cloudscape. It was super fun for me to paint and the colours were delightful to work with. As a finishing touch, I added in some iridescent violet to add to the feeling of uniqueness. The iridescent sections would shimmer at certain angles under the light and made it feel extra magical.

The title, “Magic Minutes,” was provided by my client as it was a phrase with special meaning in their family. I thought it was more than appropriate for this piece! My hope is that whenever my client and their child sees this painting, they would be brought to a place of delight and be reminded that they are loved.

It was such an honour to be asked to create this piece for my client’s child and I never cease to be amazed when parents request custom artwork for their children as an expression of their love. It is truly so special!

For those with the Scripture calendar:
The verse paired with this month’s painting is from Isaiah 49:15 (NLT) which reads, “Can a mother forget her nursing child?… Even if that were possible, I would not forget you!” What a comforting declaration of unfailing Divine love. I don’t know what your relationship with your own mother is, but I find it so reassuring to know that God would never forget us.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Looking at this piece and knowing that it was as gift from parents to their little child, can you feel the delight in it? Thinking about yourself as the child of the Divine Parent, how easy is it for you to see yourself as delighted over? How can you lean more fully into God’s delight in you this month?

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. My subscribers also get occasional perks like exclusive previews and discounts. (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.

The post Every Painting Has a Story: May 2025 – “Magic Minutes” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

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.

The post Every Painting Has a Story: January 2025 – “As Sure As the Dawn” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

Friends, we have made it to December. I suspect that as you look back over this year, you can recall both gains and losses. What I hope is that through it all, you have felt carried by love. This month’s painting is about that love and I’m looking forward to sharing its story with you.

In 2021, I was asked to create a painting as a gift for a couple who lived in Shanghai. My client wanted a piece that communicated the scripture verse that says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is [God’s] love for those who fear him” (Psalm 103:11).

I had been introduced to Canadian photographer Tony Wong’s work shortly beforehand and I knew that I wanted to try to paint one of his night sky photographs. I contacted him to ask for permission to reference his work and he graciously welcomed me to it. (If you’re on Facebook, go take a look at his account, Tony Wong Photography. It is stunning.)

It was my first time painting a night sky and took me quite some time. I wish you could see the original painting in person because there are many shifts in colours and layers that can’t be fully captured by a photo.

Since Shanghai was a city dear to the recipients’ hearts, we chose to feature their city skyline in the foreground. To see Shanghai set against the Milky Way galaxy in real life would be extremely unlikely since the city is always lit up, but the magic of painting is that unlikely views like this can become real.

I finished this painting in July 2021 and sent it off to Asia. Due to cities being intermittently shut down coming out of the pandemic, this painting didn’t arrive to its destination until September 2022. As the artist, waiting for the recipients to actually get their painting was nerve wracking! Thankfully, the painting arrived safely and from what I heard, the daughter claimed it for her room the moment she saw it.

I titled this piece, “Infinite Love,” because I believe that our universe is made and held together by Love. And this Love cannot be quantified or measured. When I look at images of the stars, I am brought to a place of awe and moved that the same Love that is so big also includes me in it. I hope this sense of belovedness is what the recipients of this painting feel.

“Infinite Love” was chosen for the month of December because Christmas happens this month and Christmas is a celebration of Divine Love in our world. The dark sky also echoes what winter feels like here in Vancouver where I live.

For those with the Scripture calendar

It was natural to pair the painting this month with Psalm 103:11 since that verse was what this piece was based on. It’s humbling and astounding to think that God loves us so so so very much.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Take some time to gaze at the galaxy in the painting and notice what emotions or thoughts rise up. What comes to your heart as you consider the God of this universe is also the one who created you?

Special Note

If you’ve been following my work, you will know that this is the last month of calendar art as I don’t have a calendar for 2024. I will continue to be sending a monthly email with an art story of either some of my Tiny Expanses pieces, my older work (ever curious about what my work looked like as a kid?), or some “backstage” looks into my art practice. I am planning on putting out a calendar again for 2025 so stick with me! Newsletter subscribers will be the first to know when those are released. Thanks for reading along and journeying with me!

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! I usually post them the second Friday of each month. (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 on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: December 2023 – “Infinite Love” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

Rainy season has begun here in Vancouver and this month’s painting is about water. Hope you enjoy the story behind “Planted by the Water”!

A little bit of history: Before I started my art business, my father-in-law was already commissioning artwork from me. Being a well-connected individual, he knew many people he wanted to encourage and he thought my art would make a great gift. For the first three years of Olive Chan Art, he commissioned paintings from me to gift to good friends and supporters of his non-profit work. This piece was one of those gifts. For each of the paintings, I would have several conversations with him to find out more about the recipients and brainstorm what type of image would be most meaningful to them.

The friends who were to receive this painting had a special connection with Nigeria so I chose an image from that country. I found a beautiful reference photo by Irantiola, Olugbenga (@guzeartworld_photography) on Instagram and contacted him to ask if I could use it. Thankfully he replied yes. The image is of Lake Iseyin in Ado Awaye, which is nestled among mountain rocks. It is one of only two suspended lakes in the world (the other one is in Colorado) and people hike an hour up the mountain to go see it.

According to the photographer, this lake always retains the same water levels regardless of how much rain there has been. I love how this tree has flourished because it is right by the water.

I titled this painting, “Planted by the Water,” in reference to Psalm 1 that describes a flourishing that comes from being deeply rooted in God. My prayer for the recipients was that this painting would remind them of the Love that is the source of life.

For those with the Scripture calendar

The painting this month is paired with Ephesians 3:17-18 which says, “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Although the roots of the tree are not visible, the result of having deeply watered roots is evident. I hope this can be a visual reminder to us of our own roots in Christ’s love and that we can experience flourishing as well.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Take a moment to imagine the roots of your soul sinking into the love of God, what does it look like beneath the surface? Now reflect on your “branches” and “leaves” – are you looking and feeling hydrated and nourished? If so, take a moment of gratitude. If not, is there something that needs to change?

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! I usually post them the second Friday of each month. (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 on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: November 2023 – “Planted by the Water” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

It’s October! I hope you are keeping well as we enter this final quarter of the year. Around this time of year two years ago, I was working on the two paintings featured in the calendar this month. Here’s the story behind them. I hope you enjoy it!

Back in May 2021 when we were all gingerly coming out of pandemic isolation, my dear friend Heather asked me if I could create two pieces for her daughters as Christmas gifts. Every summer, her girls would attend camp on Thetis Island and they had many fond memories of that place. Heather thought they would like to each have a painting to remind them of those memories year-round.

After some discussion, we settled on two 8″x10″ deep canvases and Heather sent me about 10 photos to choose from. We chose two images that looked good on their own and together as a pair.

A unique part of this commission was that the titles for the pieces were provided by my client. “Cool Waters Beckon Me” was a phrase from a song written about the camp and also the title of a book written on the camp’s 50th anniversary. And “Abide With Me” was the title of a hymn that they sang every evening at camp. The titles both ended up suiting the paintings very well.

It was really fun to scheme with Heather about these gifts and to wait with her for Christmas. Since I know their whole family, I was also looking forward to hearing what her daughters’ reactions to their gifts would be. When I first showed these paintings to Heather, she said, “Wow! I love it! You captured the beauty of the island… I might have trouble giving these away!” Luckily for her girls, they did get them for Christmas and they loved them too.

Creating art gifts for people gives me a lot of joy and I’m so grateful that Heather entrusted me with this project. I hope it always reminds her daughters of both their good memories and experiences of God on Thetis Island and of their mom’s thoughtfulness and love for them.

I chose this pair of paintings for the month of October because the orange hues reminded me of fall. Also because I painted them around this time of the year, I’ve probably subconsciously linked these paintings to October. I hope it brings a sense of calm and restfulness to you, whatever you may be facing this month.

For those with the Scripture calendar

This month, I paired these paintings with the verse from Psalm 37:4 which says, “Delight yourself in the Lord.” Both the paintings and the titles for these paintings are invitations for us to pause and delight in God’s creation and presence. I hope you sense these invitations and that you find moments of delight even in the midst of the heaviness in our world.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Which of these two pieces are you drawn to more? What about the piece speaks to you? In what ways can you lean into delight today?

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! I usually post them the second Friday of each month. (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 on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: October 2023 – “Cool Waters Beckon Me” and “Abide With Me” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

Hello my friends, it’s August! Here in our little part of the planet, we are in the middle of summer and getting our fill of sunshine, sweet fruits, and, the favourite for our family: time by the ocean. This month’s painting is one that I hope communicates that summer vibe. Hope you enjoy this story!

“The Gift of Time” was commissioned by my dear friend Sue and her husband, Marc. For 7 years she had been looking for a painting to put above their bed and hadn’t found anything she really wanted. When she found out I was taking commissions, she was very excited to explore the possibility of a custom piece. And I was super honoured she would choose my work for her home!

She chose to have a painting made from a photo her husband had taken on an anniversary trip to the Sunshine Coast. She was particularly drawn to the blues of the sky and water. Being on the West Coast where we get dreary grey winters, she wanted something bright to cheer up her living space.

I titled this piece, “The Gift of Time,” to remind them both of their trip as well as the years of marriage they have traversed together. I hope it brings them joy and continually reminds them of how loved they are.

Being a summertime painting, I thought that August would be the perfect month for it. I hope it brings you a lightness of heart and a sense of ease and rest.

For those with the Scripture calendar

This month’s artwork is paired with Isaiah 58:11 which says, “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.” I chose this verse because the description of a “sun-scorched land” is something I associate with the heat of summer. Where we live, right now we are under water restrictions and our grass is all golden (which is a nice way of saying it all looks brown). It is in these parched conditions that God promises to strengthen us and meet our needs. My hope is that this month, you would experience God’s strengthening whatever you may be facing.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Notice the dry, brittle grass on the ledge in the painting. What area(s) of your life feel dry like that? Notice now the lush blue of the ocean. Imagine all the aquatic life contained in it. In what area(s) of your life do you feel the cool abundance of water? How is God meeting you in both the dry and abundant areas of your life today?

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! I usually post them the second Friday of each month. (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 on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: August 2023 – “The Gift of Time” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

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.

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! I usually post them the second Friday of each month. (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 on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: May 2023 – “Heart | Home” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

Hello friends! Here we are in February already. I’m excited to share the story behind the painting “At Ease,” which is featured this month on my Art Calendar. It’s a pretty personal story. I love the circumstances surrounding this painting and I think the theme of this piece is applicable to our lives (I know it certainly is for mine!). I hope you enjoy the next few minutes of story time.

Back in 2017, I was coming out of the fog of having babies and I knew it was time for me to take some practical steps toward restoring my body. I booked myself an appointment with Dr. Lois Lochhead, a highly recommended pelvic floor physiotherapist in my area. While getting to know each other, I told her that my husband, Tim, and I had a small marketing company. Not long after, she hired us to help with launching her new clinic.

Her new business partner happened to offer Osteopathic treatment and I soon started to see her for my own healthcare needs. One day while I was at their clinic, Lois approached me and asked if I might be able to create a painting for her treatment room. The wall above the plinth (treatment bed) had been empty for a few years and it was time to have something there. Of course I said I would be thrilled and honoured.

The image we came up with was based on a photo she had taken of a spot along the Pitt River where she would often walk with her son’s dog. We combined it with a morning sky that coordinated with the lavender colour of the plinth in her treatment room and added small silhouettes of herself and the dog. The wall decoration in her previous clinic room had a Where’s Waldo poster which everybody loved (including me). As an ode to that, she asked if I could hide Waldo inside this painting too. That thought delighted me so much I ended up hiding three Waldos in the painting. (Can you find them? Don’t look at the image below if you don’t want spoilers.)

I titled the painting, “At Ease,” because that’s what I wanted her clients to feel when they came into her treatment room. Seeking help from a pelvic floor physiotherapist can feel vulnerable and I hoped that my art could help ease some of the anxiety. I also wanted the piece to bring rest to Lois throughout her busy days.

In this shortest month of the year, I hope that this painting can give you moments of rest as well. I hope it invites you to a calm space where you can feel at ease.

For those with the Scripture calendar

I paired this month’s painting with the verse from Mark 6:31 which is Jesus’ invitation: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” In the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, I need the reminder to enter the quiet and also to rest, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: What is your response when you hear Jesus’ invitation to come away to a quiet place and get some rest? Recall a time when you felt at ease, how did it feel in your body? What is one way you can incorporate quiet, rest, or ease into your days this month?

Coming Soon: My First Solo Art Exhibition

These days I have been living and breathing 2-inch squares in preparation for my first solo art exhibition. Tiny Expanses will feature a collection of 100 original mini paintings exploring the vastness of skies on very small surfaces. If you are following me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen some of the paintings already.

The show will take place from April 15-28 at Braid Street Gallery in Port Coquitlam, BC and online on my website here. The in-person opening reception will be on Saturday April 15 from 1-4pm. All pieces will be available for sale at $85 CAD each (tax included). Subscribers to my newsletter will get a special first-dibs email with early access to the collection. More details to come in my March newsletter!

Thank you to everyone who is cheering me on in this process preparing for my first art show!

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 usually 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!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: February 2023 – “At Ease” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.

Hello friends and welcome to a new year! I am excited to be starting off this year with the painting, “The Promise of Spring.” For folks who are new to this blog series, I typically tell the story behind each month’s painting and include a section at the end for those with the Scripture version of my calendar where I explain why I chose the particular verse for the month. I also include some reflection questions for those who want to go deeper. If I have any art news, I will announce it at the very end. This month’s is a beautiful story and I hope you enjoy it!

“The Promise of Spring” was a commissioned piece for a senior couple from our church. They had recently sold their longtime home and asked if I could create a painting of the view from their old place so they could bring it with them to their new place because they would miss their view. On the last day of 2021, I drove to their old place, mounted some snow-covered steps and took a bunch of reference photos from their back porch. I had hoped for a nice sunset but that wasn’t to be. I took the photos anyway, knowing that I could reference the mountain images and change the sky and lighting for the painting.

In the process of developing the concept for this piece, my client had sent me a photo she’d taken of those mountains with a pink afterglow. I combined her image with a sky from another photo to create the composition. My clients wanted a long panoramic canvas to fit above their bed so we went with a 15″x48″ size. They also intended to frame it so we chose a 3/4″ slim profile.

While I was painting this, the husband was hospitalized so I prayed for them through my paintbrush. I titled the piece, “The Promise of Spring” because I wished it would remind them of hope. Even though health-wise, it felt like winter, spring will eventually come. If you look closely at the tree on the right hand side, you will see there are buds on the branches.

I was deeply honoured to have been given the opportunity to create this for my clients, especially knowing that they had artists in their family and had many other artist connections they could have chosen from. I was deeply moved by the moment when she came to pick up the piece and she included a little bonus for me on her cheque. Her action spoke so much of both her generosity and her confidence in me; it is something I will never forget.

I chose this painting for the month of January because the snow-capped mountains speak to me of winter-time (and being in the Northern Hemisphere, we are definitely in Winter). Yet, even in the heart of the coldest time of the year, we live with the promise that Spring will come. As with my clients, I wanted to offer each of us some hope as we start a new year.

For those with the Scripture calendar

I paired this month’s painting with the verse from Ecclesiastes 3:1 which says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” January is often a time of planning, goal setting, and resolution-making. I know in our family, we usually take a day to evaluate the past year and look ahead to the coming year. I can be tempted to run ahead of myself and get anxious about all that is upcoming. This verse reminds me that everything has its time. Knowing that everything has a time also offers me space for the whole range of human emotions and experiences, including grief and sadness when most of the messaging in the world tells us to have a “happy” new year.

Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Where in your life does it feel like winter right now? How are you waiting for Spring? Fill in the blank: “In this season of my life, it is a time for __________.”

Thanks for All Your Support!!

Thanks to your enthusiastic support, my 2023 calendars are sold out. There may be a straggler copy or two if you still want one and didn’t get one (just contact me).

To those of you who gifted them to others this Christmas, thank you! It means a lot that you would share my work and I am in awe when I think that so many people out there can enjoy the art. If you think your family and friends would like journeying through the year together and learning about the backstories to these paintings, please help me let them know about my blog post newsletter. As an artist, having folks stay connected via my newsletter is immensely valuable so I really appreciate your help spreading the word.

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!

The post Every Painting Has a Story: January 2023 – “The Promise of Spring” appeared first on Olive Chan Art.