Loving People Who Don't Love You Back

Difficult situations are sometimes put into our lives to help us climb the spiritual ladders toward being conformed to Christ's image. The bad thing is these are never easy climbs...hence the "difficult" part.

Ironically, I'm studying John 13:31-35 for this week's lesson in Sunday school, specifically John 13:34. And, honestly, it's kicking my rear end.

Love...sounds easy doesn't it?...especially at this time of year. But, it's certainly not that simple. When Jesus says, "Love one another...", it definitely gets complicated. It's easy for me to love myself...it's easy for me to love those who treat me the way I want to be treated. But, to love one another... even when they're unlovable, or for them to love me when I'm unlovable...this command takes something supernatural in order to fulfill it

The scenario goes something like this: 2 parties...both were offended. One party admits their wrong, apologizes, and seeks forgiveness. The other party accepts their apology but fails to recognize their own guilt in the matter. So, what is the first party to do?

This is a tough situation and it's compounded when it's someone close to you such as friends or family.

So, we have to ask, "What is the Christian thing to do?" I hear the old cliche "what would Jesus do?" ringing in my ears.

Let's look at John 13 for some answers. John 13:34 says:

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

 Notice the bold part...when we examine its immediate context, we see that He gave us an example in the beginning of the chapter...the washing of the disciples' feet, John 13:1-20. Jesus, Lord and Master, humbles Himself to the place of a slave by performing a "low status" task. If anyone shouldv'e had their feet washed, we, of course know, Jesus would've been the One qualified. Yet, He is the very one who removes His outer garments, and lowers Himself to wash those who were, in every way, beneath Him.

Our reaction is usually one of, "Ohhhh...look at the humble Jesus. Isn't He amazing!" But, the real kicker here is that He expects the same from us. If that's not a high expectation, it only gets worse...Guess who was in the midst of these disciples and got his feet washed? Judas Iscariot. Yikes...now it does get sticky.

Can you imagine washing the feet of one you knew would betray you to die? Man, that is hardcore. That is hardcore humility. That is hardcore love. My flesh detests this teaching. My carnal nature wants to spit some beechnut in Judas' eye, like Hank Williams Jr. in the Country Boy can Survive song. But, Jesus, in His perfect love, loved those who were unlovable and loved and served those who He knew would never return the favor...in fact, He loved and ministered to those who boldly hated Him.

Notice John 13:17,

 "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

This verse tells us that our blessedness...our most complete joy...stems not from the knowledge of this humiliating service...but from doing it.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:43-48,

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

 Again, it's easy to love those who reciprocate the love...but anyone can do this...even the publicans. But, the greater reward is found in loving those and doing for those who you know will never pay you back.

Easy preaching, but hard living. I know...I've been there and still go there. I've had a person in my past who I loved dearly, hurt me badly. Being falsely accused of plagiarism, not only to yourself, but to your peers as well is a hurtful thing for me. The person who did this probably has no idea of the pain it's caused me. I have forgiven this person and there is no bitterness between either of us...however, I never received an apology, and probably never will...in this person's eyes, I'm sure they truly believe they were right. So, I often have to practice Jesus' words to forgive 7 times 70...every time the root of bitterness starts to spring up, I have to deal with it. Forgiving others is not for their benefit, but for ours.

I'm learning that this love that Christ commands us to do is supernatural and certainly doesn't stem from ourselves. This fruit of the Spirit comes from us abiding in the Vine...abiding in Christ, and Him in us..."for without me ye can do nothing" John 15:5.

Being conformed to Christ's image is not an easy task...and it surely isn't always fun. But, it certainly will be rewarding. May God give us grace in loving and serving others even when we know it won't be reciprocated.

.

Strawberries in Still Life

Stawberries

11x14 acrylic on canvas

Here's another still life I painted for the upcoming "Red Show" to be held at Rail Walk Studios and Gallery in Salisbury, NC. I began this painting by first, arranging my items. I knew I wanted to paint these delicious strawberries...for one, they're red...two, it's almost Valentine's Day, and I always think of my wife's chocolate covered strawberries that she makes. Plus, I get to eat them when I'm done painting. Ellie, my 4 year old daughter thought that eating them after the painting was done was just too long to wait...so, after my numerous warnings not to touch the objects, and while I wasn't looking, she swiped a couple of juicy strawberries. Needless to say, I just about turned into Mr. Hyde.

I also needed another element in the still life so, I found this little cup and saucer in the china cabinet. It would make a nice contrast with my dark fabric I had draped.

The painting began with a painted sketch of the scene using cadmium red medium...just to lay out the composition and key in the values...the darkest areas will be straight red from the tube, and the lightest areas were a red wash...just to get rid of the white canvas.

Then, it was just a matter of painting my darkest darks first, working my way to the light colors and highlights last. Within a few hours, it's done!

The art displayed in the show will be used to raise funds for the American Red Cross. The show will start Feb.2 and run until March 31.

For more information on the Red Show, contact Rail Walk Studios at info@railwalkgallery.com .

The Gospel In Noah's Ark

Noah's Ark

16x20 acrylic on canvas, painted at Carolina Memorial Baptist Church, Thomasville, NC

Is Noah's ark a myth, a fairy tale, or is it a factual account recorded in the bible? Our children are being bombarded with the notion that the earth is millions of years old and the geologic structure of the earth is the result of millions of years worth of erosion. However, the bible states the contrary. So, which set of lenses will we look at the evidence with...will we examine the evidence with a secular worldview or with a biblical worldview?

The picture above is a view of the Grand Canyon located in Arizona. Notice the winding Colorado River at the bottom. According to secular evolutionists, this river, given millions of years, is the cause of the Grand Canyon. They propose that a little water with long periods of time can carve this massive canyon. However, the picture below will testify that canyons can be formed over very short periods of time with
lots of water.

This is a picture of a place called the Little Grand Canyon, located near Mt. Saint Helens in the state of Washington. Notice also the little river running through the bottom. Most secularists would automatically assume that this little river is the cause of this 100, or so, feet deep canyon. Notice also the rock layers...surely this is the result of long periods of time, right? Actually this canyon was formed in one day...May 18, 1980. The canyon is the result of a mud flow after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Interestingly, there is a 25 ft. rock layer consisting of hundreds of smaller layers which was not formed in millions of years, but in a single day...possibly a few hours. This event has caused even many secular scientists and geologists to reevaluate their theories on the formation of the Grand Canyon.

So, with this little God given illustration, we can see the devastating effects that a lot of water can have on the structure of the earth...which brings us back to Noah.

Get in the boat boys, the crick's a swellin!
Due to man's wickedness and corruption of the earth, God warned Noah of a coming judgment. He instructed Noah on how to escape His wrath...build a boat.

One reason why so many children, even adults, find the concept of all these animals, along with Noah and 7 of his family members, being able to fit on the ark is due to the misconceptions we have of the ark. Most art or representations of the ark look like this: 

Wow...no wonder people have a hard time believing.

If we go by the bible's description and use a little common sense, we can see that Noah's ark is very believable.

The ark's dimensions are 300 cubits long (approx. 450'), 50 cubits wide (75') and 30 cubits tall (45'), Genesis 6:15. It was to be 3 stories tall and have a window finished above the ark, 1 cubit (it doesn't give the length of the window, so we can assume it ran the length of the ark's top...like a modern day ridge vent). The space of the ark is big enough to hold 522 railroad boxcars.

What about all the animals?
Another misconception is that Noah would've had to take thousands and thousands of large animals. 2 German shepherds, 2 chiwawas, 2 golden retrievers, etc... This is not the case, though. He took 2 of every kind, 7 of the clean animal kinds. He only had to take 2 of a generic canine kind...probably something like a wolf. We get all of our different types of dogs from inbreeding and selective breeding.
Something else to consider, seeing that Noah was 600 years old (I imagine he was a pretty smart guy), he most likely didn't take full grown adult animals. He probably took young animals...old enough to keep themselves, but small enough not to take up much room. And, since young animals sleep a lot, especially when in a confined space, they probably weren't much to keep up. Given this, the average size animal is the size of a sheep. You can fit 240 sheep on one railroad boxcar, which means you could fit 50,000 animals on 209 boxcars...which is not even half of the ark.

What does the flood teach us, today?
First, it teaches us that God is good and He's a God of justice. Because God is good, He must punish sin. For instance, if someone hurt your family member, and you took the criminal to court...if the judge let them go free, he would not be a good judge. A good judge upholds justice.

This was the case in the flood. Mankind had corrupted his ways on the earth. So God had to punish the wickedness. However, the good news is that God showed a man named Noah, grace. He gave Noah some undeserved favor by showing him a way of escape...through the ark.

In the same way, Jesus Christ has provided a way of escape from God's wrath. There is a coming judgment day, but all who are in Christ will be spared. To be in Christ is to fully trust Him...to find your all satisfaction in Him...not just believing in Him as a historical figure. Salvation is not found in any "repeated prayer" or the fact that you "asked Jesus into your heart" at whatever age, or any other religious activity you might have done. Salvation is in a Person...Jesus Christ. All who were on the ark were saved, as all who are IN CHRIST will also be saved. Find your refuge IN HIM.

We'd like to give a special thanks to Carolina Memorial Baptist Church in Thomasville, NC for allowing us the opportunity to minister. The painting at the top is my 15-20 minute rendition of Noah's ark that I completed while the children sang. Below is another painting of Noah's ark I completed several years ago...prints are available, just visit my website: www.jeremysams.com

For more info on Noah's ark, visit Answers in Genesis.

Oranges In Still Life

Oranges

11x14 acrylic on canvas

I think this was the first time I had ever seen an orange with the leaves still attached. Can you tell I don't get to the tropical states much? All the oranges I ever see come packaged in a red mesh bag. But when Crystal brought this little beauty home, I knew I had to paint it. Besides, that's why she bought it...just for me to paint. What a great wife! The unique wine bottle is from Zimmerman Vineyards. They were kind enough to give me several of their empty bottles just for still life paintings. I decided on this particular bottle due to it's unique shape and its brilliant blue color, which I thought would be a nice contrast with the oranges.

I haven't painted a still life for some time now but, when I first started painting, as a teen, I would set up a small scene of fruit, pottery, or whatever else I could find of some interest. It was great practice, learning to paint what was right in front of you. I began learning a lot of foundational principles back then such as: composition, values, form, etc... It's also a great way to hone your drawing skills, which, I believe, is the foundation of any good painting. You really can't beat painting from life.

Mixing Your Greens...For Desert!

Most people already know yellow and blue make green. But how does it taste? The only acrylic paint I ever tasted was by accident, and it wasn't an experience I'd like to repeat. However, I have concocted some greens that are absolutely delicious!...and I've been repeating the experience for several days now.

By adding more blue, you can make a cooler green. If you're looking for a warmer, more earthy green, try adding more yellow and just a touch of red...these are the greens you're most likely to see in the more natural colored sunny landscapes. But before you start licking your palette, let me inform you that the drinkable greens I'm referring to are not acrylic paints.

The greens we've been drinking in the Sams' household as of late consist of apples, oranges, carrots and spinach. Spinach??? Yes! and it's delicious! Tonight's juice mix contained 2 apples, 1 orange, 2 carrots, and 3 large handfuls of spinach...all total about the size of one monstrous salad. The cost for a full 12 or so oz. cup of this delicious green brew was approximately $1.40. However, I think we can go cheaper if we buy our fruits and veggies in bulk.

My wife, Crystal, and I decided to start our new year off trying to eat healthier. We watched a couple of really good documentaries to get us motivated, and I highly recommend them. They are "Forks Over Knives" and "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead".

Forks Over Knives (trailer)

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (extended trailer)

Randolph Art Guild Drawing Sessions

Joe

11x14 acrylic on canvas

Every first and third Thursday of the month, the Randolph Arts Guild hosts a drawing session. The cost is $10 per session, or you can pay $30 for 6 sessions and runs from 6-8pm. The Guild will hire models to model for the class or they'll set up a still life or, if weather is permitting, go outside for some plein air sketching/painting.

The sessions usually start off with some 1 minute quick sketching...these exercises are basically just to capture the gesture and for warm up. With only one minute, details are just not an option. After the 1 minute sketches, you might move up to a 2-5 minute pose.

The painting above is of our model for the night, Joe. It's a 20 minute quick-sketch...or quick-paint in this case.

Another 20 minute quick sketch in charcoal with Joe wearing a toboggan. 

He also brought  a machete and a sombrero.

The last 20 minute quick sketch of the night in charcoal.

For more information about the drawing sessions, feel free to contact the Randolph Arts Guild.

Living In Sin...In God's Will

Divorce is the social norm of today. Marriage vows are simply sweet words and a marriage license is just a piece of paper. According to a recent study, the divorce rate among evangelical Christians is 42%. That's a pretty high number for those professing Jesus as Lord and Savior and claiming the authority of the Scriptures.

After becoming a Facebook user this past year, I've been appalled at some of the statuses that "Christians" put up. People claiming to be "right where God wants me", "in God's will", or "in God's plan" while living in open sin and rebellion to God is just plain disgusting. I've seen spouses who've walked out of their marriage (for un-biblical reasons) post these kinds of phrases while all their carnal friends condone and praise their rebellious situation and refusal to submit to God's Word. Sorry ladies, your husband's failure to send flowers or give you compliments is not a biblical cause for divorce...and, fellas, your wife's refusal to wear lingerie and lack of cleaning and cooking skills is not a reason either.

Sadly, unbiblical divorce is not the only issue faced in people claiming to be in God's will...you see the pics of people partying it up, then the next day claiming they're glad they're in God's will. Are you kidding me???

Now, let me remind you...I'm all about God's sovereignty. I try to live according to it and have experienced it in my life, especially this past year. But, here's where it gets tricky. If we believe in a God who is in control of all aspects of our life: birth, health, finances, weather, salvation, sanctification, death, etc... does this mean that God is in control of our sin as well? I've had several people, while contemplating God's sovereignty, ask me, "If God is sovereign and He has planned for everything that's ever going to happen...this must mean that it's ok for me to sin, because ultimately, God is the One who planned it...right?"

First of all, those who claim God's grace or His sovereignty as a license to sin have a twisted mentality and their "damnation is just" according to Romans 3:8.

Second, let's again consult the Scriptures to make sense of this dilemma by examining the prophecy of Peter's denial in Luke 22:31-32. In this passage we'll see God's sovereignty over our temptations:

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

Satan is definitely at work here, but he is not sovereign in it, nor is Peter...Notice that the temptation comes from Satan, not from God, for God tempts no man to sin (James 1:13). Notice also, that Jesus, after proclaiming His intercessory prayer, says "when you are converted"...he doesn't say, "if you're converted"...No, He says "when". In essence, He's saying, "Peter, Satan wants you and you will fail miserably,  but I have prayed for you and WHEN you repent and turn back, strengthen your brothers. You will fail, but I've made sure your failure will not be final."

We can also see God's sovereignty over man's sin in Acts 2:23:

"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"

Notice first, that it was God's determined purpose and prearranged plan that Jesus would be crucified and murdered...in this predetermined plan was the involvement of man's sin. But notice secondly, their predetermined sinful actions were not condoned. Acts 2:36-37 shows that they were completely responsible and we see their reaction.

So, is God schizophrenic? Does He plan for us to sin then punish us for doing what He planned? How do we understand these things? Again, let's consult the Scriptures.

In Deuteronomy 29:29, we see the two wills of God. We see His will of Decree and His will of  Precept.

"The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law." 

 "The secret things" are God's will of decree. These are the things God has predetermined such as Peter's temptation and the crucifixion of Jesus...Basically, this is God's business and not meant for us to know. He is:

"Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" Isaiah 46:10. 

He also tells us in Daniel 4:35,

"And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

His ways are higher than our ways for sure, and wouldn't it be sad if He left us in the dark as to what His will is? However, when we read the rest of Deut. 29:29, we see that He doesn't leave us clueless as to how we should live: "but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law."

What are those things which are revealed?  These are His commandments, His Words, His precepts. When God says, "Thou shalt" or "Thou shall not", He is revealing His preceptive will to us. These are not suggestions, but commands. So, if we ignore what God tells us or rebel against His revealed commands, then we are NOT living according to God's will. Oh, you may be in His "plan", but you are rebelling against His revealed preceptive will.

This is a terrifying place to be..."in His plan" but rebelling against His will. Consider Pharoah in Romans 9:17-18,

"For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth."

 When you read the story of Pharoah in Exodus, we see that Pharoah was definitely in God's will of decree, but he was certainly not acting according to God's preceptive will...and we see the purpose was that God's power be made manifest...even in Pharoah's destruction.

In closing, be warned if you're living against God's revealed will. He may be raising you up to crush you and magnify His glory in giving you justice. If this concerns you at all, be like Peter and be converted so you can show God's glory in giving you grace and mercy. If you feel that you've failed in remaining in God's preceptive will, know that your failure doesn't have to be final. Turn from your sin and find mercy in Christ. For those who love God and are the called according to His purpose, He's working all things for good...even your failures. But, if your mentality is to do evil that good may come, your damnation is just (Romans 3:8).

New Homemade Pochade Box

What's more enjoyable than plein air painting?... Of course! making your own gear for plein air painting! This is my newest home made pochade box. It measures 9.25x11.5" and the palette area is 1.5" deep. I went with a smaller box because I needed a box that catered to my smaller plein air pieces and takes up less space in a backpack. This box will hold, at the largest, an 8x10" horizontally, and probably a 9x12" vertically. The new feature is my hinged flip-out brush holder (the little rectangular piece of wood with holes on the left). Now, instead of having to insert my brush holder, while carrying it as a separate piece, I just open the box and flip it out.

Here is the hinged brush holder in its closed position. The lid of the box closes down while leaving a little space in case you want to keep your canvas panel attached to the pochade box lid. Because of the deepness of the box (1.5"), your wet paint remains untouched on the bottom.

In the side view, you can see what keeps the box locked in the open painting position...just a friction lid support with a threaded knob instead of the tightening screw. You can purchase these at your local hardware store for just a few dollars. The hanger that will hold my portable brush cleaner/water is a wire hanger loop that holds the wire on the back of picture frames.

Here you can see my glass palette in place. I paint on glass because it's just easier to work and clean my acrylic paints. You'll notice 2 brass shelf pins inserted in 5 mil. holes that are holding the palette down. With the deepness of the tray, I can now leave my canvas panel attached to the lid, close it, and use it as its own wet panel carrier and not be worried about the glass palette hitting my wet painting. When I'm done painting, I just remove the shelf pins, then remove the glass and wash it.

closed and locked position...ready to stuff into a backpack.

Several people have asked me about how I mount the box to my tripod. This is it. It's a wood insert nut (this one is brass which is a softer metal...I broke the first one attempting to screw it into the hard wood. I think I used a different metal on my last pochade box which has given me no trouble for the past year of use). You simply drill a hole smaller than the threads of the insert, and screw it into a .5" block of oak. This block measures 3.5x4". After you drill your hole and screw in your insert (making sure to screw it into the wood from the opposite side that you'll attach your tripod), attach the block on the underside of your box about 1" from the back and in the center of the box using wood glue, and some brads or screws, nailed or screwed from the inside of the box. It's very important that you get a good bond here.

To see more details on how to build a box like this, visit Jim Serrett's site (this box is an alteration of Jim's unique an easy to build design) or my other blogs concerning pochade boxes: Homemade Pochade Box and Pochade Box Updates.

Happy building and happy painting!

Cauble Creek Artist Invitational Winner

Cauble Creek Vineyards was kind enough to host an artist invitational show this past November. Each artist was invited to submit up to three pieces of art, one of which should be wine/vineyard related in subject matter. The Vineyard had over 400 visitors walk through to view the artwork...and what a view they had. There were some absolutely beautiful pieces of art on display from some extremely talented artists.

This past week, I received a letter from Cauble Creek Vineyards announcing to me that I was their Artist Invitational Winner. All I can say is, "Wow". What an honor and what a complete shock! If you could have viewed all the artwork, you would understand my shock. But, I am truly grateful and humbled by their decision.

A special thanks to all who purchased my paintings, and for all the gracious comments left by the voters...Thanks for helping feed my family! Thanks to Adele Goodman (An excellent artist who speaks my language...along with her signature, she signs her work with the initials "SDG"...for "Soli Deo Gloria!") for organizing the event, and thanks to Cauble Creek Vineyards for hosting. Be sure to stop by their beautiful vineyard if you're ever in the Salisbury area.

Time For Violence...Battling Depression and Anxiety

The Christian life is a violent life. We are told to "fight the good fight of faith"...We're also told that if we "through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live." Mortify doesn't exactly mean to be embarrassed here...It means to KILL. These violent metaphors of war-waging run all through-out Scripture.

However, we must ask ourselves, to whom or what is this violence directed? Does this mean we're to be violent to others? God forbid. Violent to our enemies? Yes...but, our enemies are not defined as being our neighbors, or people of other religions, or even people who've done us wrong. Our enemies can be found in two places: The first place is the spiritual realm where Satan and his evil minions dwell. He's a very real threat and many have been wounded and killed by this roaring lion. However, one of our biggest and most troublesome enemies can be found within us.

The Christian life, contrary to what the prosperity preachers tell you, is not "Your Best Life Now"...Sorry Joel, if you're living your best life now, then that means your life to come is going to be a hot one (cough-hell-cough). With that being said, our lives are filled with a roller-coaster of emotional highs and heart crushing lows. Let me be real honest here...losing two of my babies within 8 months HURTS. Holding their limp cold bodies HURTS. Watching dirt fill their graves HURTS. I can assure you, this has, by far, been one of the worst years of my life.

After experiencing these heart crushing lows, that stinking flesh in me wants to plunge my whole being into depression. My flesh is at constant war with my spirit and its battlefield is my mind. This holds true for my wife, Crystal as well. Her enemy is anxiety...anxious about death, possible diseases, sicknesses, abnormalities, will we ever have another live baby, etc... And from what she's been through, it's very understandable to have these feelings. It's like a cruel cycle of trauma-grief-anxiety-depression-anxiety-depression, etc...which seems impossible to break free from. She hates it...I hate seeing her suffer.

We're tired of playing defense in this fight for joy. So, we've decided to get violent. Tonight we started our first phase of attack. Our plan, so far, is to fight these enemies with a two-pronged attack:

1. Fight with the Sword of the Spirit...the Word of God. We started tonight memorizing Matthew 6:25-34. After we get this passage, we'll move on to other anxiety/depression-crushing verses. Our goal is to renew our minds with the truth of God's Word so that when these feelings of anxiety or depression come along, we'll have some ammunition to hurl at the enemy. What we have to understand is that feelings come and go and you certainly can't trust them...they lie...However, Jesus is the TRUTH...He's the reality and His word is truth and in them is life. Scripture memory will be key in this renewal process. 
2. Ministering to others. By taking the focus off ourselves and looking to the needs of others will be another great way to "fight for joy". This could be accomplished in several ways like giving the gospel, encouraging someone else, helping those less fortunate, etc...

This is going to be an interesting journey and we know God has placed us on this path for a reason. The last thing I want to do is waste my trial. So, I pray: God, help me to learn, teach me thoroughly, but please be gentle with us and give us the grace we need to persevere. We thank You in advance for the good that You're bringing us to.



 Would you like to go with us on this journey? Let's begin with memorizing Matthew 6:25-34 and look for ways to minister. Keep a sharp eye out...I bet God will be quick to place someone in your path. Be sure to check out another post I wrote earlier dealing with the subject of joy in Farming for Joy. Be sure to give any biblical suggestions you might have in this battle for peace of mind and joy.

Soli Deo Gloria

Celebrating The Ultimate Artist...God

"Psalm 104:24"

24x30 acrylic on canvas

"O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." Psalm 104:24

As an artist, it's impossible for me to view such magnificent scenes of God's creation and not be overwhelmed with awe. In my quest to duplicate colors and moods, it becomes very plain for me to see my inadequacies. I struggle just trying to duplicate a scene in front of me. The problem lies in that I'm merely duplicating...but, on the other hand, God is no duplicator...He's no copyist...He's not building according to someone or something else...He's the original artist.

On Nov. 4, 2011, I was invited by Friendly Avenue Baptist Church to participate in the "Festival of Tables" where they honored God as the ultimate artist. It was a lovely night with music, dining, a wonderful testimony of a family on the mission field, and a special song by my wife Crystal..."I was Born To Serve the Lord". During these couple of hours, on stage, I was privileged with the opportunity to indulge in my own expression of thanks to God by painting this scene of Yosemite National Park, above.

We'd like to say a special thank you to Friendly Avenue Baptist Church for the hospitality, the prayers, and the opportunity to minister.

Our Little Girl, Selah...A Gift of Joy

Some nightmares seem to never end. Too often we've all had those reoccurring nightmares in the same night of sleep. It's as if you know it's not real but you if you could just wake up, you could find escape. Sadly, there are experiences in life that truly are nightmares, but there is no "waking up" for it to all go away.

Early Thursday morning, I was woken by my wife who obviously had not been sleeping. There was a slight panic in her voice. She had been experiencing, the day before, some pretty uncomfortable cramping. But this morning, she was fully aware that these were not normal cramps. She felt as if they were labor pains. So, to be safe and to alleviate our fears, we went immediately to see her doctor at the women's birthing center in Statesville. While I held my sleeping daughter Ellie in the waiting room, I heard a very familiar cry of agony coming from the examination room.

The nightmare has returned. I will never forget those horrifying screams as I rushed into the room, they were all too familiar. Once again, an ultrasound confirmed no heart beat.

We were left to weep and pray. We then decided to return to High Point to be near our family and friends and to examine what our next step should be. We were given different options of going ahead to induce labor or wait. It was obvious that the cramps she was experiencing was her body's way of taking care of itself by going into labor.

We called our doctor in High Point and began to make arrangements to deliver our baby. A couple of our midwives also came by to check on her at our house which was a great encouragement.

At around 5:30, the contractions began to become more intense, so we made our way to the hospital. I watched my wife with the help of our doula/friend Jennifer pace in the ER trying to walk through the contractions. Could these people who check you in have been any slower??? My goodness, what was only a few minutes seemed like an eternity as I watched her breathe and groan in the check-in office. Jennifer was pretty adamant telling the people to get her to labor and delivery NOW, of which the lady finally complied.

Finally, we were checked into our room and Crystal was checked for dilation. She was a zero. Crystal mocked her pain saying, "yeah, it's just my luck to be having these kind of contractions and not be dilated at all!" Her contractions were lasting up to 2.5-3 minutes with only about 30 seconds of rest in between each one. She walked around the room and rocked in her standing position refusing to take anything for pain. I stood in amazement and fear as I watched my wife and her doula dance this unusual dance of labor.

After 30 minutes or so of enduring some pretty intense contractions, Crystal cried out that she had to use the bathroom. Complaining of the extreme pressure caused Jennifer to hit the "call" button for the nurses. But, everything was happening too fast...Crystal stood and cried, "The head's coming out!" Jennifer and I were close by as she yelled "catch it, catch it!" So, I dove to the floor, held out my hands as Crystal stood, and caught this little warm sack.

I couldn't believe it...in my hands was my precious little girl still in the birth sack. My hands were trembling...bloody...but I was holding a miracle. Even though I knew I was holding just a little lifeless body, it was still a very overwhelming experience. Now, I can see why doctors and midwives do what they do, as this rush of joy flooded through my soul knowing I helped deliver one of God's greatest miracles. This miracle may have not been alive, physically, but I can assure you, she is more alive than any of us!

If a doctor or midwife no longer gets joy out of delivering babies, he/she needs to hang up the towel. What an absolutely rewarding experience they must have. This caused me to think...if we, as fallen humanity, can be so filled with joy at the birthing of a child...how much more is Christ flooded with joy as He births His own? I'm a sinner...however, redeemed... but still, every aspect of my being has been affected by the curse of sin...my emotions, especially. If I can get that much overwhelming joy out of delivering a physically lifeless child, how much more does the perfect Creator of joy...Creator of emotion...Creator of life...Creator of ALL things...how much more joy and pleasure does He get in the new birth of His children! Oh, can you imagine what He feels when he breathes life into a soul!

Why did He go to the cross??? For JOY! WE are a part of HIS JOY!

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Not only is He joyous for giving spiritual life, but I can imagine the joy He will feel when He resurrects our bodies to a glorified life. What an incredible event will take place when he gathers His children from the four corners of the earth, gathered together as His bride...Oh, what joy He will feel! We, as believers, are His treasures...not because of some inherent worth in ourselves, but because we are gifts from the Father!

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" John 6:37

"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." John 6:39

Our security and worth as believers is based on the fact that we are gifts from the Father...the value of the gift is not measured in itself, but by the Giver of the gift. We are precious to Christ because we were given of the Father. All children should be precious to us because they also are gifts from our heavenly Father.

We chose to name our little gift, Selah. In Hebrew, it means to praise or exalt. It's also a term used to indicate a pause or a time to meditate and "think on this". For us, after our ordeal with losing our son, Zion, God gave us a little time of praise. She was a little pause in our life to praise God and a time of healing. Psalm 66 is the chapter that sealed our decision to use this name... read it carefully, meditate on it, and heed it:

" ¹Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
 ²Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
 ³Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
 ⁴All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
 ⁵Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
 ⁶He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
 ⁷He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
 ⁸O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
 ⁹Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
 ¹⁰For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
 ¹¹Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
 ¹²Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
 ¹³I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
 ¹⁴Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
 ¹⁵I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
 ¹⁶Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
 ¹⁷I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
 ¹⁸If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
 ¹⁹But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
 ²⁰Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."

In closing, I must ask you...are you a gift of the Father? How does one know if they are? It's simple...have you received the gift that God has provided? We are all sinners by birth, by action, and by our failure to treasure God and His glory. He, on the other hand, is a just God who will not at all acquit the wicked (Nahum 1:3) Because He is good and righteous, He must punish sin and not sweep it under the rug...He will not let the wicked go free. The good news is that this same just God sent His Son to die as a substitute for all who will believe. He is just and the justifier of those which believe in Jesus. If you reject this gift, you will prove to all creation that you in fact, were never a gift of the Father. But, now, God commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel...do not reject Him...He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but He has overwhelming joy for all who come to Him. Make your calling and election sure...prove that you are part of the "joy set before Him" by believing in Christ...which means valuing Him as your most supreme treasure.

I was asked by my good friend, Rick Cope, this morning, "Jeremy, what are you thankful for today?" In short, I am thankful for the gift of my daughter and that I am a part of His joy!...Selah

Soli Deo Gloria.

Grandfather Mountain Plein Air

Grandfather Mountain in Fall

8x10 acrylic on masonite en plein air

On October 21, 2011, plein air artists from all over North Carolina once again swarmed over the Sweetgrass Community in Blowing Rock, NC. I couldn't pass up this opportunity to paint along side of some incredibly talented artists.

The weather was beautiful with nice sunny skies...the only drawback was the wind and the chill. The last time I was here, in July, I ended up freezing my rear-end off in a downpour of rain... in JULY! It's October now, so I came prepared: 2 pair of thermal underwear, fleece, windbreaker, toboggan, gloves, 2 pair of socks, etc... I felt like the Pillsbury dough-boy all wrapped up. But hey, I wasn't frostbitten. 

 Me...warm, but cold-faced

I was privileged to paint with a good friend of mine, artist, Scott Boyle, founder of the Charlotte Plein Air Painters... a group that I'm currently a member of. We both share a passion for magnifying God and His glory through our paintings. 

While scoping out the property, we settled on a lake view with Grandfather Mountain in the distance. It was quite beautiful with the most brilliant blues reflecting in the water. So brilliant, in fact, that it almost looked unbelievable. I attempted to paint it...I mixed...I painted...I struggled...I got frustrated...I had a breakthrough!

 Landscape painter extraordinaire, Scott Boyle

Yep, I had a breakthrough...I turned my easel into the sun. I had straight sunlight shining on my palette and my canvas panel. Suddenly, the colors looked so dull. So, what do I do but react with artistic speed and precision! I was feeling good...feeling like I was accomplishing something. Then, at the epitome of my artistic fury, Scott reminds me, "Jeremy, be sure to turn your easel into the shade just to see what it looks like in different light." I believe the words that came out of my mouth at that time were something like, "HOLY COW!" The painting that I thought looked so awesome turned out to be one of the darkest valued paintings I think I've ever done. It was embarrassing it was so bad. It's so bad, I haven't even taken a digital picture of it, so don't expect to see it posted here. It goes in my "bad painting" pile...that same pile is growing, by the way. (Scott assures me that his bad painting pile is now several feet tall...so, that's encouraging)

So, lesson learned: paint in the shade, or at least have your canvas and palette shaded, if possible. Painting in the direct sunlight can make for an extremely dark painting, especially when you bring it indoors.

The painting at the top of the page was my second painting of the day. The wind died down enough for me to set up my shadebuddy umbrella and paint under it...Ahhhh, relief! What a difference a day...a little shade makes!

Farming For Joy!

Have you ever planted a garden? I had the privilege of growing some of my own vegetables this past summer and oh what a treat it is to be able to step out your backdoor and pick your supper! What a gratifying experience!

I thought I would be a real man this past year and do this the "old school" way...by hand. I got my shovel and ho and went to work. Two days and many blisters and sore back muscles later, I had cultivated my own small garden. (note to self: tillers are our friend, don't deny them) After planting my little plants and a few weeks later, I began to see the fruits of my labor budding out. What a cool experience...work a little, plant seeds, water, then watch it grow.

Throughout this experience, I witnessed an interesting thing...did I cause the seeds to grow? No, they were underground. I had no clue what was taking place under there. The only responsibility I had was to plant and water. So, who or what caused these seeds to grow into these tall beautiful plants yielding delicious vegetables?

This is where an old principle that is taught throughout the bible begins to take a whole new meaning. One passage in particular comes to mind, 1 Corinthians 3:6-8:

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

 Notice who does the planting and watering: Paul and Apollos...people...like you and me. But, it's God who "gives the increase". This principle runs all throughout the Scriptures in almost all areas of our lives. We witness and evangelize, but it's God who gives the increase. When people are born again, they are born of God and His will, not by blood or the will of the flesh, or the will of man (John 1:13). yet, it is our responsibility to sow and water...how shall they believe in whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14)

This principle also applies to JOY. I must be honest here...over the past few months, one of my greatest struggles is maintaining joy. We know that true joy is a fruit of the Spirit according to Galatians 5:22. I say "true joy" because I want to make sure we differentiate deep satisfying joy with the fleeting temporal emotion we call "happiness". Don't get me wrong, being joyful will bubble out to your emotions causing happiness but you can also have joy in the midst of extreme suffering...However, we all know it's hard to be happy when you're suffering. True joy is finding satisfaction in God. He is our source of true joy.

The problem lies in, how do I get this joy? Can I wake up in the morning and command my heart to be satisfied in Christ? Can I command myself to not be depressed, like I command my fingers what to type here? The answer is, NO. I'm utterly useless in this area.

So, how do we solve this? Are we doomed to just sit and wait for God to miraculously produce joy in ourselves? How miserable we would be!

Our answer lies in the biblical principle of sowing, watering and reaping. If I want God to produce joy in me, then I must be satisfied in Him and this is accomplished by me doing my part of the cultivation process. I must sow and water. I'll list a few things that help me...there could be more for you, I suppose there's no exact formula.

• Daily bible reading...even if you don't want to. Sometimes you have to force feed yourself. When you're sick, the last thing you want to do is eat...but it's usually the eating of nutrition that will stop the sickness.
• Listening to Christ-honoring music. Music plays an important role in your emotions. Feed it with quality food.
• Witness...a passion of mine is evangelism. Joy is an almost automatic result when I overcome those barriers of fear and tell someone the gospel or share a testimony.
• Study Theology...read a book or an article on the promises of God or His attributes. Our understanding of God is directly related to how we will live our lives. If my knowledge and understanding of God is shallow, then I shouldn't expect to live in much victory. The more I learn of my wife, the more I love her...the same applies with God.
• Get Inspired...when I get stagnant as an artist, I surround myself in inspirational places and with inspirational people. Surround yourself with other Christians...joy can be contagious.
• Take care of your physical body...be active and get rest
• Pray...just be honest with God and ask Him to produce fruit in you. The more you spend in relationship with God, the more He will manifest Himself to you.

 So, are you caught in the funk of little or no joy? Rejoice in the fact that God has designed you to find no satisfaction outside of Christ. He is our Bread of Life and our Living Water. It's now time to start cultivating! Get your spiritual garden tools out and get to work! The fruit of joy is waiting!

The Ascension of Christ

Ascension of Christ

This mural was painted in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Banks of Thomasville, NC. The dimensions are approx. 10x24'. The mural was painted using latex wall paint. Feel free to contact me for pricing details if you're interested in a mural.

Acts 1:1-11

¹The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,  ²Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
 ³To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
 ⁴And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
 ⁵For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
 ⁶When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
 ⁷And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
 ⁸But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
 ⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
 ¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
 ¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Zion's Death

After months of answering questions and hearing twisted versions of what happened to us with our stillborn son, Zion, we have decided to write a list of frequently asked questions. It is our hopes that this will answer any question that people have had or may be afraid to ask, and to stop the mouths of the gossipers who embellish and twist the facts to make their story more juicy. So, here we go:

What caused his death?
According to Dr. "D" and the labor and delivery nurses, the cause of his death is unknown. He was perfectly healthy until the moment his heart stopped. According to their examinations, there were no problems with him physically, no problem with the umbilical chord (no knots, discolorations, abnormalities), no problem with the placenta, and no problem with Crystal's blood. All the medical tests that could be administered, apart from a full autopsy, showed no cause or reason for death.

According to Dr. D, "There is not one thing you did or you did not do that would have changed the outcome...sometimes, we just don't know."..."He is perfect, I just don't understand."

Why did you not have an autopsy?
We were advised by our Dr. not to put ourselves through that experience. According to the Dr., "Realistically, we're probably not going to be able to tell you anything that we can't tell you now."
Besides, really...what good would it do us? The fact is, he was healthy, Crystal was healthy, then he died. Does it really matter as to exactly how? What would it change? Will that help a grieving parent or will it cause even more emotional distress? So, thankfully, we took the Dr.'s advice.

How long did you carry Zion?
40 weeks and 2 days.

Were there any symptoms or any clues as to something being wrong?
No, up until that day, he had maintained a perfect heart rate of around 160 bpm and was a normal active baby in the womb. Crystal had not even had a day of morning sickness. There were absolutely NO physical indicators to Crystal that anything was wrong until about 6pm when she realized that she had not felt him kick since that morning. He was confirmed dead by ultrasound at 8pm. So, for those who are saying that Crystal had intense pains that day and she should've went to the hospital at that moment, please get your facts right. She was perfectly fine as we went shopping that morning until the afternoon. It would be illogical for a 40 week pregnant woman who's in excruciating pain to be out walking  around all day don't you think?

Did he die because you were planning a home birth?
No. We never had the opportunity to attempt a certified professional midwife assisted home birth. As ignorant and asinine as this question is, you'd be surprised at the people who ask or imply it.

Again, according to Dr. D: "It would not have mattered where you were at or whose care you were under, there's nothing I nor this hospital could have changed. You did everything you could have done and so did your midwife." According to the docs and nurses in the labor/delivery, they admit that stillbirths happen more frequently than they care to admit. I am amazed at the volume of parents I've met through this trial who've experienced the same thing we have, even through doctor care...death is no respector.

Were you having contractions?
Yes. Crystal was having the normal braxton-hicks contractions leading up to the time of the due date. These contractions were sporadic and not consistent in length, intensity or time which is absolutely normal. We believe she may have been in early stages of labor the day he died, because her contractions had just started to become more consistent.


Why didn't you get help when you noticed the first contractions?
Even with a hospital birth, they recommend you not to check yourself in until the contractions are at least 5 minutes apart, consistently, ...or, if your water has broke. Neither of these were our case. However, the midwives were in constant contact with us looking for the progression of possible labor, which was not time yet.


Why were you allowed to go past your due date?
Due dates are approximations. It is very common to go as long as 2 weeks past your "due date"...some longer. Every woman's body is different. Zion was delivered 3 days past his due date which was the same for our first child, which is very much right on time.


Did you deliver your baby vaginally?
Yes.

Did you have to be induced?
Yes. The Dr. broke her water and after little labor progression, they started her on pitocin.

Why did you not opt for a c-section?
It's a well known fact that vaginal births are the healthiest choice, if applicable. Besides, how horrible would it be for Crystal to have to endure the effects of a major surgery with no baby to make it all worthwhile?

Was he a normal baby?
Yes. Everything was intact and he weighed 7lbs. 9 oz., with big feet and broad shoulders. He had very little skin tear (a common occurrence to still born babies) which means he hadn't been dead but for a short while. His color was even a little pink when he came out...while watching his ruby red lips, it seemed as though you could almost see him breathe.

Was it hard to deliver a child that you knew was not alive?
Extremely. But, God gave Crystal and I a peace which is unexplainable and we were able to praise and worship Him during the delivery despite the many tears. We were also surrounded by family, good friends and an excellent hospital staff.

Is there anything you would have done differently?
No. God makes no mistakes.

In closing, I would like to explain our Christian worldview. When I say "God makes no mistakes and we wouldn't do anything different", some will automatically be thinking of what we should have done, as if we were the ones in control of our child's destiny. Many believe in a god, but they believe that we are the ones in control of life. According to the Bible, they are guilty of idolatry because they have made a god of their own imaginations. Their god is no God at all. Deuteronomy 32:39  says,

"See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand."

1 Samuel 2:6 says,

"The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up."

Psalm 68:20 also states,

"He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death."

 The bottom line is this: God is sovereign over ALL His creation, not just bits and pieces and only the "good" things. If He is not upholding all things by the word of His power, then He is not God. Every man has an appointment to die just as Hebrews 9:27 states. Zion met his appointment at precisely the right time...not a second too soon, or a second too late. You will also meet yours at God's appointed time.

Even Nebuchadnezzar knew God's sovereignty, notice what he says in Daniel 4:35,

"And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

So, we'll either conform our thinking to God and His Word or we will base our thinking on humanistic philosophies. We'll either bow to God and His sovereignty or we'll be rebels against Him. For those who have a hard time swallowing the hard verses in the bible, I say, let it conquer you...quit trying to twist and redefine God. He is who He is and there is none like Him, there is none who can control Him, there is none who can advise Him, there is none His equal, and there is none who will escape His appointed time. he is the Supreme Ruler over ALL...even life and death.

Bush Hill Heritage Festival

Bush Hill

10x8 acrylic on masonite en plein air

This is my painting of the Bush Hill Heritage Festival which takes place every year in Archdale, NC. I thought it would be nice to do some plein air painting while attending my art booth this year. Everyone likes to watch someone performing their craft and painting is no exception. I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people and had the privilege to share the gospel with several as well. Overall we had a great time and I'd like to say thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth and their encouraging words. We'll also be at the Asheboro Fall Festival Oct. 1 and 2nd... hope to see you there!

Need Refreshing?

Cool Water

6x8 acrylic on masonite en plein air

The title is a bit of an understatement; I should've named this painting, "Freezing Cold Water". After walking up this creek (which filters into the New River near Fleetwood, NC) nearly a half mile, my feet get numb from the cold. The interesting thing about this creek is that it doesn't matter what time of year it is, whether July or September, the temperature of this water is always frigid.

As painful as it can be to tread through cold water, it is such a refreshing experience...and makes for a nice spiritual analogy. No matter the temperature change of the surrounding landscape, this water is always constant and unchanging. In the heat of the day, it offers cool refreshment and is never stagnant. Kind of reminds you of Jesus Christ, doesn't it? He is the unchanging God, who is never altered by outside circumstance and He offers refreshment to those who are weary and thirsty. From this creek, there springs forth life...I saw a deer drinking from the bubbling brook...trees draw nourishment from this life-source and grow strong and tall. The same goes for Christ; He is our source of life and nourishment. Our spiritual growth depends upon our dwelling in Him. Are we satisfied with the dead, stagnant, temporary and unfullfilling pleasures of this world? or, are we thirsting for true satisfaction that can only be found in Christ?

Ho, Everyone who thirsts, come ye to the waters!

Painting Animals in Plein Air

Evening Stroll

8x10 acrylic on masonite en plein air

Oh the elegance and the sophistication of a swan, how prestigious they are! They're like the "cats" of the waterfowl world...always on display and doing their own thing. My daughter always associates them with princesses thanks to her numerous "Swan-Princess" movies. However, as proud as they seem, they do make for good subject matter in a painting. The only problem is, they don't usually remain still.

So, how does one capture animals in a plein air painting? Good question...I'm still figuring this thing out. But, here's what I do:

1.  Do a small thumbnail sketch on a separate sheet of paper, sketchbook, etc.... This helps tremendously when trying to figure out your composition. It's better to get the design down first before delving into a painting only to realize your composition is horrible and then be forced to fix it, wasting valuable time. this step includes locating your center of interest. Will it be in the bottom right corner? Top left? etc...
2. Capture the landscape. The sun light is moving slower than the animals, in most cases. So, paint the surrounding landscape first to make sure your values and color is right.
3.  Add the animals last. You can then place them at whatever focal point you choose and arrange them in the best compatible composition if there's more than one animal.
4. Be sure you don't alter the setting so much that you lose the scene that inspired you in the first place. Try to keep it as close to that first initial "Ah-hah!" moment that captured you.

Chetola Lake, located in Blowing Rock, NC, was the setting for this plein air painting.
To purchase this painting, click the button below. The price is $150 with $12 shipping and handling. If you don't need it shipped, feel free to email me at jeremy@jeremysams.com

Banner Elk Plein Air Competition

Shawneehaw Greens

8x10 acrylic on masonite

What an experience! On Friday, August 26th, I had the privilege of testing out some oil paints under the instruction of fellow landscape artist and plein air painter, Scott Boyle. He had offered a plein air workshop in conjunction with the Avery County Arts Council in Linville, NC. After the long yet informative day of oil painting, fellow-shipping with other artists, and visiting an art show opening with some friends and fellow artists,  I was ready for Saturday.

On Saturday, The Art Cellar, a fine art gallery located in Banner Elk, NC, hosted a plein air painting competition. This was my first plein air event where my work would be judged along side of other artists' work. Was this nerve racking? Absolutely... Was I intimidated? Absolutely! Was I ready to have a great time? you guessed it...Absolutely!

We started early that morning scoping out a place to paint after registering for the event. I settled on a path in Tate Park looking at one of its bridges. I had the opportunity to paint along side with some pretty incredible artists at this location. After finishing the Tate Park Bridge painting and lunch, I headed back toward the gallery in search of another inspiring scene.

Eureka! I found my perfect scene of the day along the banks of the Shawneehaw River. Mountains in the distance covered by fog, the gallery on the left hillside, a sunlit field, fir trees, bushes, foliage, and water...what more could you ask for?

It took me about 2 hours to finish the painting en plein air. The time seemed to fly by...especially since I knew I was on a time restraint. I tried to capture the atmospheric perspective of the humid day with the bluish background mountains and trees. When the overcast sky would occasionally break, the sun would lay these beautiful highlights on the field, so this too had to be attempted. Overall, I was fairly pleased with the result.

However, not only was I racing against time and the changing light, but now my paintings would be set beside everyone else's to be...JURIED!!! These kind of events can wreak havoc on you if you have an inferiority complex. Or, so I thought.

The show was nothing like what my imagination had foretold. The other artists were so kind and everyone was strolling through the gallery chit chatting, and recounting the events of the day. It didn't seem as much like a competition as it did an artist fellowship. So, in that, I was eased.

Eventually, we were all called to the room with all the plein air pieces on display. It was time to announce the winners. I wasn't that nervous. I hoped to place, but I had already viewed the other artists' work, which was exceptional. So, I thought, at best, I might get 3rd place. You can imagine my shock to hear my name announced for 1st place. Did they make a mistake? Did they not see the other paintings? There was a lot of talent there and I was truly humbled just to paint along side with these experienced artists, and even more so to place in the show.

Thanks also to Sarah Gilley for sending me a picture of the painting... In all of my excitement, I forgot to take pics.