I've been silent on my blog for some time now. These have been difficult and complicated times. Due to the Pandemic and being unable to socially distance my students from one another, I've had to discontinue my classes. Since the beginning of March, my studio has been quiet. I miss the friendships that I've developed with my students, the bustling of creativity welling up inside of their creative minds, and most of all, their smiling faces.
Isolation is a common thing for many artists, but I'm one of those artists who enjoys a mix of solitude and social interaction. I love my quiet time when I can reflect upon nature, God, and life itself. That's the time that helps me be a better artist and teacher. Not being able to share that side of my life with my students leaves me feeling a bit somber.
I challenged myself this morning to choose one of my paintings that represents how I feel. It didn't take long. I knew the instant I pulled this one up that it speaks to everything I feel. This 36"x48" oil painting, "Revelation", is a very complicated piece. Capturing all the nuances of this dramatic sunset on Lake Lanier was challenging at best. The stillness of the water speaks to the isolation I feel in my studio. The symphonic and dramatic sky represents everything going on around me in this unprecedented time. However, even more than that, the sky represents God's overpowering beauty and reminder that He is the one in control and will one day return to make everything on this planet right again.
It's funny. Before I sold this painting to a precious client, it hung in my art gallery. Several times a week, a lady came into the gallery during her lunch break just to visit with this painting. She would tell me it would inspire her and bring her comfort. She used to say, "You know, this painting reminds me of The Second Coming". It was because of her that I changed the name of this painting to, "Revelation". Hmmm, I think I'm feeling better now.