Kayaking and Plein Air...Blessing Defined

Kayaking, plein air painting, and a little daddy-daughter time...does it get any better than this? You know you're a recipient of God's grace and blessing when you can enjoy all these different passions all at the same time.

We often use the phrase "we're blessed". But what does it mean to be blessed and how do you measure it? Do we measure and define it by the annual income that you report to the IRS every year? By the popularity that a name may offer? By the awards or degrees that hang on your wall? These are all nice things to have I suppose. However, these things are temporary. They have no eternal value. Being blessed is not measured in the temporal materialism or fleeting emotions... being blessed is measured in our completeness in God...finding our all satisfaction in Him. 

To say that blessed simply means "happy" is to come short of a full biblical definition of that often used term "blessed". We usually think of happiness as that fleeting emotion that is dependent upon outside circumstances. When you itch all night due to the numerous chigger and mosquito bites from playing in the woods...your happiness will probably go south like mine did. Or, when your name gets called because you won some grand prize, your happiness will pick right back up. This is usually the typical definition of this roller-coaster ride that we call happiness. Blessedness is not that way.

 It's hard to be "happy" when you have to lug a kayak and painting gear through the woods while the mosquitos feast on your tender skin.

Blessedness does not depend on outer circumstances but depends on an inner satisfaction that only God can produce in you. When you read Matthew 5 and the infamous "beatitudes" of which Jesus spoke, you must understand that these character traits do not produce this blessedness...but this blessedness produces the character traits.

So, the question is, are you blessed? Has God performed a work in your heart so that that you produce the fruit of a satisfied, complete, blessed life which results not just in happiness, but true deep-rooted joy? Does your conduct prove your character? 

My nephew, Aaron learning to kayak.

Poppie assisting Ashleigh while Ellie and Aaron unpatiently wait their turn.

"Riverbend"

8x10 acrylic on masonite painted en plein air

Here's the plein air painting that I painted that day located on the Uwharrie River in Randolph County, NC .

Kinston Plein Air Competition

School Teacher's Garden

8x10 acrylic on masonite

What a great week to paint en plein air. The weather was beautiful. The skies were clear, the leaves were green, the flowers blooming and producing a sweet aroma. The temperature, however, was a little warmer than what I'm used to in early in May... The highs were in the mid 90's! So, shade was a must!

The event began Wednesday morning and ended Friday evening at 5pm. I think there were 20 or so artists in attendance which is a great number. The talent was very high at this paintout according to several who had attended before...and it showed. At the judging, which took place Friday evening, the talent was made apparent as everyone paraded their masterpieces into the gallery.

I met many wonderful artists. All were braving the heat...some in the shade, sitting, while others in full sun sweating it out. I hope they loaded up on sun-screen! I tried my best to stay in the shade as much as possible, sometimes having to break out my "shade-buddy" plein air umbrella to keep my painting and palette out of direct sun. Shade paintings turn out much nicer for me than sun-paintings...if I paint in full sun, the painting will be much darker in value and look horrible when hung in a gallery setting. So, I prefer painting in the shade when possible.

I was blessed to have received 1st place for the above painting entitled "School Teacher's Garden" which is located beside an old schoolhouse behind Harmony Hall. This location was perfect for plein air painting. I was shaded by a nice overhanging tree, and the light was just right. I was drawn to this scene by the reflected light in the shadows of the white schoolhouse and picket fence. It's amazing how green shadows on white surfaces become when reflecting the grass and shrubbery... an average camera won't detect these subtle temperature changes in color. Even the judge, artist Mike Rooney, claimed to have gotten cold chills when he saw the painting. How cool of a critique is that!

Below are some other paintings that I painted during the competition.

Neuseway

8x10 acrylic on masonite

Neuse Sand

8x10 acrylic on masonite

This was an interesting piece...I was painting under the bridge of Hwy 11, when this huge water snake which was about 4.5 ft. long comes sliding out of the water right in front of me. He layed there for about 5 minutes just checking me out. So, I stood there for about 5 minutes just checking him out. Finally, he moved on his way to some nearby grass. Later that evening, a fisherman informed me that he was ran out of that same spot by 4 or 5 different snakes... not a comforting thought understanding that this area is well know for rattlesnakes and water moccasins.

 

Roots on the Neuse

12x9 acrylic on masonite

 

 

  Queen and North

12x9 acrylic on masonite

 

 

  City Lights

12x9 acrylic on masonite

Mike Rooney offered some good advice for this painting. He loved it, and so did I...except for the cars. I should've kept the edges much softer and took a little more time with them. I painted them the day after I actually painted the scene...20 minutes before "turn-in" time. And, it shows...so, if I get this painting back, rest assured the cars will be repainted!

Special thanks to the Varner family for their always generous hospitality! I can't wait to visit Kinston and all the good people there next year!

Mooresville Artist Guild Plein Air Paintout

Liberty Park Falls

10x8 acrylic on masonite

The good people at the Mooresville Art Guild hosted a plein air painting competition on March 31. What a beautiful little town! The historic downtown area was packed full of great places to paint. If you enjoy urban scenes, you'd be in a painter's paradise. 

The morning started out drenched in rain. I think everyone who came out was a little hesitant to see if anyone else would brave the weather. Luckily, there were plenty of artists who didn't mind a little moisture in the air...especially when you've came equipped with your painting umbrella (a must-have for this time of year). Toward the middle of the day, the sun broke through and all these nice highlights popped out. What a beautiful day it turned out to be!

I was privileged to paint along side of fellow artists, Craig Franz and Scott Boyle. We chose Liberty Park to set up our gear and begin our painting process. It's always good to paint with other artists when possible. They tend to give fresh perspectives and constructive critiques in each other's paintings. Sometimes we get bogged down on particular parts of our paintings and we neglect other problem areas. Another artist's eye can help you spot these. It's also good to hear their tips and to bounce techniques off each other...iron sharpens iron.

 Craig Franz

Scott Boyle 

(check out the ez-up canopy he's painting under...now that's being prepared!)

Thanks Shade-buddy for keeping me dry!

As for my painting of the day, I was honored to have received an honorable mention in the show. 

 

 Does adidas sponsor painters? Hmmm...I doubt it.

What could be better than salad, meatballs and pasta in the company of talented friends? Thanks Cheri for the great meal!

This particular show will be on display until the end of April. So, if you're in the area, come out and see the beautiful work. Visit Mooresville Artist Guild for more info and to see the other great paintings. 

My painting, Liberty Park Falls is for sale through the gallery for $320. If you're interested, feel free to contact me or contact the Mooresville Artist Guild.

Acrylic Landscape Demonstration with Video

 Red Barn in the Morning

18x24 acrylic on canvas

The painting above is the final product of an acrylic landscape demonstration that I gave Feb. 17th. at the Waterworks Visual Arts Center, in Salisbury, NC.

The picture below shows the painting at the end of the 1.5 hr. painting demo.

When I got back home, I made quite a few changes to the final painting. Here's a list of corrections I made:

• reworked the sky to be more of a warmer morning feel rather than the overcast look (the pics here may not show the truest color of the actual painting).
• broke up the tree formation on the mountain tops to get rid of "the big bird" look.
• minimized the window on the barn
• added some rust on the roof
• adjusted the background trees going into the valley
• detailed the foreground grass with more variety of mass, textures, values, and temperature changes (cool shadows, warm midtones and high-lights)
• added a farmer walking toward the barn, to help give it some life.

It always helps to get away from your painting for a while so that when you return to it, you'll have a fresh perspective and will be able to see what needs to be changed or added.

Here's a video that fellow acrylic artist, Rex White made for me during the demonstration:

Thanks to Plein air Carolina and Waterworks Visual Arts Center in Salisbury, NC for allowing me the opportunity to demonstrate. Thanks also to Rex White for taking his time and tech-saviness to make the video.

Contact me if you're interested in purchasing the painting.

Painting A Self Portrait

 Self Portrait

11x14 acrylic on canvas

Painting a self portrait doesn't mean you're egotistical. Trust me, there's nothing more humbling than staring at your flaws in the mirror and trying to be honest enough to capture them...as long as it's capturing them and not caricaturizing them. Believe me, that's a struggle in itself!

The main purpose, for me at least, in painting a self portrait is to learn.

•  Learning to paint correct values in certain lights.
•  Learning proportions and relationships of facial features.
•  Learning to simplify the scene according to shapes and not get distracted by the details.
•  Learning to compare adjacent values ( lighter or darker) and color temperature (warmer or cooler)
•  Learning to draw negative space more accurately

This painting was started by massing in a mid-tone flesh color in a large area that would later be shaped to form the face. After the mid-tone was applied, I then began mapping out the features of my face. It's good to start with an anchor point (a physical feature to work off of in determining distance between the facial features). I used the corner of my eye for this point. 

After you have determined your anchor point, began measuring what you see in the mirror the distance between each feature. Sometimes, depending on the model, you can divide the face into 3rds...from the hair line to the top of the eye brow...eye brow to the bottom of the nose...bottom of the nose to the bottom of the chin. Or, sometimes, it works out that the corner of the eye is half way between the top of the head and bottom of the chin. However, these are just guides and aren't always exact.

I always use a series of plumb lines and horizontal lines to see how the features line up to each other. This will help in placement.

My next step would be to establish my darkest darks as an anchor value to key in the rest of the painting. If your darkest dark is too light, the overall painting will be too light. It's also a good idea to start with your sharpest edge as well...to give you an edge to compare all other edges to. For example, on the right side of my face is my sharpest edge. I can now look at the edge of anything else, whether nose, lips, etc... to see if those edges are as sharp as my first edge or are they softer.

The last thing to be painted are the highlights...just be sure not to make them bright white...otherwise your face will look oily or plastic.

The hard part of self portraits is trying not to move your head while you paint or clean your brushes. It's also a challenge to measure distances between the features while looking in a mirror...your reflection of your hand or brush will hide the feature you're trying to measure...pretty irritating...but it can be overcome if you simply paint a life size portrait, and just measure on your face rather than the mirror's image.

Some problem areas are:

• making the skin too light
• making the whites too white
• not using cool or warm shadows accurately
• making the lips too red
• making the nostrils too dark
• making the edges too hard

All in all, it's great practice and you'll learn so much in the process. The main point to learn is to compare, compare, compare.

Did I capture a likeness? I think it resembles me...but there are some areas I can already see that need work...so don't judge me too harshly. The major problem with this painting is the subject matter :)

By the way, I'm not mad...just concentrating.

Thanks Dr. John Piper

How cool is this...a picture of Dr. John Piper of Desiring God Ministries holding a print of my painting, "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)". Dr. Piper and his ministry have been such an encouragement to my family and I, especially over the past year.

After losing my son, Zion in March 2011, I contacted Desiring God to inquire about a book on God's sovereignty and the issue of suffering. I spoke to a young man on the phone, and for the life of me, I can't recall his name. This young man was so kind in offering a listening ear to my situation. He then took the time to pray with me over the phone...a prayer that you could tell was sincere and heartfelt. He also informed me about the book I was calling about..."Suffering and the Sovereignty of God" edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor (contains writings on God's sovereignty and our suffering by people like Joni Eareckson Tada, Stephen Saint, Mark Talbot, and others). I highly recommend this book to anyone who is experiencing trials or any kind of suffering. It really helps you view these events through the eyes of God and not through the eyes of humanistic philosophies (which most merely portray God as a weak, impotent god who knows about your suffering but is too helpless to prevent it).  I asked the young man how much the book would cost and he completely surprised me by saying, "I'm going to send it to you free of charge."

Now, how many ministries out there would do that for some stranger who just randomly calls them up? Probably, not many. However, anyone who's familiar with Desiring God knows that they're not money motivated...they have a passion for treasuring Christ and helping others, even if it means they get nothing in return.

The print was just a token of our appreciation to Dr. Piper and Desiring God for their commitment to the supremacy of Christ and making Him known to the world. I once heard one of Dr. Piper's messages where he speaks of getting a "footnote" in one of, athiest and philosopher, Ayn Rand's biographies...all because he sent her a letter of critique and gave her the gospel...who knows, maybe one day, I'll get a footnote in one of Piper's books :)

Thanks Dr. Piper!

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 and 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.