Breath of Heaven – NOA Art Auction

Night of Artists is having their annual Art Auction and my submission this year is an

18″ x 24″ mixed media painting called “Breath of Heaven”.

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Most of my paintings tend to be inspired by a Bible passage but the inspiration for this piece comes from several different verses that all spoke to me.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth Psalm 33:6

In his hands is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4

You see my grandmother who I am very close with has by God’s grace survived through skin cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer and has now recently had more cancer found in her other lung.  As I was thinking over the unfairness that is cancer and was petitioning God for healing for her I was given this image and message that even though the breath in her lungs may fail her body, the breath of God in her soul will never fail. The same breath that formed the Heavens and gave life and form to everything can also live within us and that alone is awe inspiring to me.  So in this painting the “sky” breathes, as layers of cells/earth have life and breath radiating out of them.

If you’d like to own this one of kind mixed media painting you can place your bid online here: noa

 

Wedding of the Lamb

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So sometimes paintings just seem to happen. I’m going about my business and then a canvas kind of screams at me and the next thing I know I have a new painting on the go. That’s exactly what happened with this painting. I wanted to do a lamb piece to go with my series of Biblical inspired animals but I hadn’t planned this lol.

I sat down one morning and it just flowed out of me by the time lunch had come the layout was complete and that’s the way this painting kept evolving. Every time I sat down it was a whirlwind of creation and the next step would be complete. It’s crazy how God can use my talents for his purpose. I thought all along that this would be an Easter piece and I thought for the longest time I would call it “the Passover lamb” but the more I painted and embellished and layered and texturized the more it seemed like it was a celebratory piece. Not a pre-cross sacrificial painting but a joyful conquered death let’s party type of painting and so what’s more jubilant than a wedding.

So here the lamb is clean and radiant. The flowers are in bloom, he is crowned and gleaming wearing his bridegroom clothes of covered in song and ready for the church his bride. The work has been done and now it’s time to celebrate.

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Each sets of words woven into the lambs wool is a hymn title, I emphasized the trinity by crowning in in triplicate “holy”s on his forehead.

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He is clean and pure adorned in gold and sparkling rhinestones that flash and glimmer in the light and he seems to radiate and glow.

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The birds who fly and adorn him with music singing are gold and jeweled but pale in comparison to the light surrounding him.

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New life grows up from his feet and even the earth is growing with hymns embedded in it. I did a double emphasis on “art” along the bottom of the piece because I do believe God enjoys art and to be praised through it as I’ve spoke on in previous posts.

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And finally the lambs position of facing straight out at the viewer was intentional because Biblically we as Christians make up the body of the Church, and the Church is the Bride of Christ so here the Bridegroom, Christ is looking at us the Church on his Wedding day as through him we are made pure and holy and most assuredly ready to celebrate.

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I used a large variety of materials to create this painting including genuine peridot stone chips, rhinestone crystals, gold leaf, paper clay, modeling paste, acrylic, oil paint sticks, beads and old choir music / hymns.

I’d love to hear what you think of this painting or any of my other works. You can comment below or email me and I’ll be happy to respond.

Cheers,

Amanda

Women in Business

I had the pleasure of being featured in the Chamber of Commerce Women in Business October News letter.

You can read the full version here.

Cheers!

Amanda

Fort Saskatchewan River fest 2017

As I mentioned earlier I was invited to exhibit my art at the final day of the Epcore Riverfest. A celebration of the North Saskatchewan River. This was the first year that Fort Saskatchewan has participated and they wanted a local Artist presence to add to the exhibit.

I was originally supposed to set up inside the pavilion but the weather was nice and the exposure was better outside so I had a gorgeous albeit chilly location and got to meet with some wonderful people as they took in the beauty surrounding us.

Here are a few pictures and pieces of the day.

Big thank you to everyone that came by for a look, sale or chat!

A