‘Rooted & Grounded’
My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love (“rooted & grounded”), you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
The Message (paraphrase): Ephesians 3:14 – 19
The painting depicts the deep-rooted love that Believers tap into when we come to know the ‘love of Christ’. The above scripture reference is actually a prayer of Paul the apostle, for all Christians. Like the huge, tall, white pine trees that reach to the heavens above, we too can stand firm and secure in this ‘glorious inner strength’ that he speaks about. Because the Spirit dwells within, we have this Strength upon which to draw; just as the roots of the pine tree go deep into the soil and draw nutrients from the earth. As Paul prayed, my prayer is also, that if you have not already done so, you will ‘open the door (of your heart) and invite him in.’ Then, ‘with both feet planted firmly on love (God’s love), you will be able to take in the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love’.
The progress of the painting ….
This painting began by applying a variety of bright acrylic paint to the canvas in haphazard, blotches of colour, turning the canvas from portrait to landscape orientation. It was very abstract and unappealing for my personal liking. The painting seemed to scream from the easel – “I’m not finished!” I knew it wasn’t, however, as yet I was not sure what to do with it. It begged for composition; something that would make a statement. Trees! A tall stand of sturdy trees, receding into the distance … I could see it all now (an image began to appear). Nothing gives depth to a painting like multiple, vertical, multicolored, multi-sized, and multi-textured strokes layering the canvas from top to bottom. Already a new dimension began to happen. As I sat back to assess where it was going, instantly, I sensed the need for a high horizon line. This was achieved by laying-in a light gray-blue between the tree trunks; the sky appeared and immediately a distant vista came into view. Awhh! Air now circulated among the trees!
What’s a painting of pine trees without some ‘pine needles’? I envisioned bronze-toned pine twigs. So, thanks to the pine in my back yard I had a stencil with which to stamp an exact replica. Further blotches of bronze acrylic paint was applied randomly to the tree trunks and dispersed throughout, giving light and richness to the overall composition. To pull it all together, the painting was then splattered with contrasting light and dark splatter. Voila! ‘Rooted & Grounded’ was established, never to be blown about or uprooted forevermore.
COPYRIGHT:
© Brenda R. Wright/Oak Lane Studio and Brenda’s Message Art, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Brenda R. Wright and Brenda’s Message Art with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
AWAM 