Inspiration Point
I am back in Honduras at New Life Children's Home for a couple of weeks sitting in our private living room overlooking the small river of Jalaca. I can hear the water running over the cement wall creating a swimming hole for the children. Most of them have grown up and moved on and the ones that are still with us are busy with their high school and college studies, no longer interested in the swimming hole of their childhood.
As I sit here and reminisce at my writing table, I can hear the laughter from the past as the children play on the fond pages of my memory. It's a bitter sweet moment, missing the days gone by but so thankful for the decisions that most of them have made with their lives. They are the sweet fruit of our many years of labor. It fills my heart with joy to know that we made a difference in the life of a few children. It only takes a few to turn a nation toward God.
I think of the Davids, Jeremiahs, Joshuas and Pauls of the Bible and my prayers surround these beautiful Honduran children, now young adults, believing they will make their mark on history as well. We are praying and preparing to receive new children in need, praying for the right ones that God wants us to touch, heal, love and prepare as His instruments of change to bring His Kingdom to the earth.
Each one of these children are like an empty canvas. They start out very needy with no design and are empty, even thirsty for a touch of the Master's brush in their lives. Last year, I started the design for several of my Blue Morpho pieces in this very spot. As made a basic sketch, then started layering with stencils, mark making and acrylic paint. As I layered the art materials on top of each other, some layers were pretty messy and didn't look like a masterpiece at all!
Even through the ugly stages of the design and layers, something beautiful began to emerge. Each child is just like that with basic designs, ugly stages, messy moments and many layers to create a masterpiece worth displaying. I should give art titles to my children as I do my paintings, it would remind me of the unique purpose each one has and how special and unique each one has become. They are truly masterpieces in the raw!
Maybe I'll give children's names to my art pieces also. It will remind me during the discouraging ugly and messy stages that this painting has a purpose in life, a calling with a message for someone special. Each painting has a destiny to fulfill and to visualize and personify them will motivate me to higher purposes with my art.
Today I want to showcase my favorite of the Blue Morpho series, though each one is so special, (Can a parent have a favorite child? or an artist love and cherish one masterpiece over another?) it's hard to choose. But today I will pick Lovely Lilies in Blue and offer a 30% discount on a print of this beauty on my website for all of my faithful followers:
Thank you for sharing this journey with me!
Annette Thiesen