Life is painting a picture, not doing a sum. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
Paint is a forgiving teacher.
My painting class begins with white-canvas panic, a daunting challenge for unskilled fingers, and eyes unaccustomed to seeing.
The waiting palette, with its glistening piles, forces me to look hard at what is before me, to pay attention to something besides my own tiresome concerns.
I glance around the studio and whimper. “Someone tell me what color the small flowers are. How do you make the color copper?” I beg for pity, it is the paint that obliges.
“Just dip your brush and remember what you know. We’ll go wherever you lead,” the pigments promise.
In what feels like chaos, I shift colors and shapes around the canvas, and they graciously move. They yield without complaint to a different tint, a new placement in the picture, even their erasure for the sake of the whole.
In the painting above, the objects have been so brush-battered I imagine I can hear the orange (reshaped, pushed off the side, informed it is not, after all, the main focal point) groan in protest.
And the poor chrysanthemum. How many times can it endure having petals scraped and reapplied under my muttering inexpertise? But a day later, I am still fussing with edges, and the paint allows me, it forgives.
What The Painting Will Tell You
Art experts claim, “Your paintings will be your best teacher.” But the lessons don’t stay on the canvas. Somehow life must imitate art.
Be forgiving, stay pliable, bend to the brush of the Artist.
Graciously fade back when the story is not about you; in the spotlight, shine for God’s glory.
Don’t be afraid of the ugly stages. Wait with hope for beauty to emerge.
Make a statement with your life, a purposeful, well-drawn composition, pleasing to God’s eye.
Be your truest, purest color, but learn to harmonize with others around you.
Find beauty in the midst of shadows, but remember to look for the light.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
What lessons have you learned from your efforts?
14 replies on “A Painting Lesson”
Janet, musically speaking I am reminded of John Michael Talbot’s seminal work, The Painter from many years ago in which he makes similar statements about our life as a canvas with notes. I have to say that because-I can’t paint…damn it!
Robert, you so beautifully paint with words, I believe you could do the same with oils. They are forgiving. 🙂
Love this beautiful metaphor!
You’re the one who led me to it, Susan!
I have learned, it is good to do good.
It is essential to commit myself to The Lord, and continue to do good.
Anything that The Lord blends into my life He will use for His purposes.
Ah yes, there’s the blending, not always an easy experience!
Janet, I have a whole new appreciation for this ‘art lesson.’ I look forward to ‘hearing’ from my art.
I’m delighted you are pursuing your art, Cecilia!
Janet, the artistry of your words in these devotional blogs reach deep inside my spirit to teach me, convict me or inspire me. Thanks for being an artistic tool in God’s hands for the good of others.
Thank you, Katrina, for sharing that. All of the above could be applied to writing, as you know.
Beautiful! What a fantastic metaphor! I’m ingesting (words, not paint, for the record.)
The dangers inherent in metaphor, and ingestion!
Janet! I absolutely adored this piece. It helps remind me that in the times of great change that I am experiencing we should never the less trust in God’s plan and remain positive that he would not throw at us something we cant handle. Great inspiration!
Thank you, Katrina! God bless you as he enfolds his plan.