Consider how the Lilies Grow

"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you the truth, not even Solomon in all his splendor, was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith." Luke 12:27-28

A few weeks ago I was experiencing some anger and frustration towards God. I had prayed to sell our house and to be able to live in a specific house. We had a buyer for our current house, and the new house we had our eye on was about to go on the market. Everything seemed to be a "YES". Suddenly, the other family was staying in their home and our buyers could not get financing. The dream was over and I was left feeling frustrated and worried. Thankfully I did not stay in that frame of mind. As I was praying I was reminded of the verse in Luke and how God takes care of those who love him.
I am so thankful that God takes care of me. Right now as I am experiencing times of uncertainty it is so encouraging to think about how God has always been taking care of me throughout my life. If he takes care of some of the smallest things with such care and love surely he wants to take care of me also.

Abby Hahn

Abby Hahn, acrylic on canvas, 24x36"

After the passing of a well-loved furry family member I decided to try my hand at a pet portrait. People and animals have always been particularly challenging for me, but since this animal was a special part of our family, I felt this would be a good opportunity to try something out of the ordinary. Every living thing has a unique personality, but capturing that personality is even more of a challenge when the subject of the portrait is your sister's dog.
I gave this portrait to my sister for Christmas and the look on her face when she saw the picture was worth it. I am very pleased with the final product, not only will the painting serve as a memorial to a special friend but it will also remind me to try some things that are out of my comfort zone.

Work on Display at Carmel Family Care

Spring Flowers, Green acrylic and marker on wood


Bird acrylic and paper on masonite

New and familiar favorites are now on display at Carmel Family Care at 12289 Hancock Street in Carmel, Indiana. Many of the large paintings on display were created during live performances. The small collage pieces were created from my home studio. All work on display is for sale. Please contact me for more information.

Storytelling with Art With a Heart

Khabir Shareef and I have joined forces with Art With a Heart to create a storytelling program. Last week we performed The Crane Wife from the book, Think Rather of Zebra for four groups of junior high students at The Christel House Academy in Indianapolis. During each twenty minute performance Khabir told the story through words, while I told the story through paint. At the end of each session we talked to the students about the moral of the story and the process of presenting the story. This program is designed to encourage students to work together and to inspire them to tap into their own creative potential through storytelling and art. We had a wonderful time during the performance and are looking forward to our next gig at Andrew J. Brown Academy next week.

Our Journey

Last weekend I was reunited with the band to paint at ICYC in Anderson, IN. It had been quite a while since I last painted with them and my first time up on stage I was feeling anxious about what I was going to create. Thankfully, 1000 Generations was the worship band for the week, so I had plenty of time to work through the process. As I painted more and more aspects of the piece came together, and the more I painted the more I felt at peace about what was landing on the canvas.
After the second performance of the weekend, I started to understand that this painting is about our journey with Jesus. The first night a bright background was laid down that filled the canvas with warm colors, this represents our first moments with Christ. Then a landscape emerged similar to a desert with an abandoned city, and dark holes, this depicts the lonely places in our life and the obstacles that we are bound to face. Thankfully, the painting didn't stop at that point; by the final morning of worship, I added two white flowers. The flowers are a reminder that no matter what we are going through, we are still able to grow and flourish as the individuals we are created to be because Jesus knows us and understands every struggle we face. He allows us to grow in any circumstance.

Created to...

"Created to..." acrylic and charcoal on canvas, 30x40"

Last night I was privileged to paint during the Spirit and Place Festival event, "Imagining Creation: A Spiritual Mandate for Creation Care". If you examine my work it's easy to see my fascination to creation, but before the event I had to sit down and really evaluate why I so often paint images that are drawn from nature. When I am able to sit or explore in nature I am often struck by the greatness of God and the beauty that he made for us. I believe that creation connects us closer to God, and one of the things God requires of us is to care for creation. In this piece, I hope that you will see a human connection to nature and our obligation to care for it.

Imagining Creation

Sunday, November 9th come out to the American Cabaret Theater to participate in an open forum about creation care. The event is from 6-9 PM and is open to the public as part of the Indianapolis Spirit and Place Festival. During the event I will be painting while the discussion is taking place and while your questions are projected on the large screens via text messaging.