The Landscape of Healing 2018-2019

A number of years ago, I developed PTSD due to being assaulted.  As a result, I lost my job, my marriage was affected, and I began what was to be years of therapy.  At the time, I was a figure painter, but dealing with my PTSD symptoms in my body made it difficult for me to want to think of the human body creatively.  As I began a slide into depression, I stopped painting altogether.

When I came back to my easel, my paintings were dramatically different. I began painting blurry, abstracted forms inspired by forests, lakeshores, riversides and seashores.  At times, these images more closely resembled traditional landscapes, at other times, they became nearly void of identifiable imagery.

These images capture these moments in my journey back to health and a new sense of who I am.  I often am deeply aware of being in the presence of God while I paint, and so these pieces could be considered portraits of being in the presence of God during my journey back to wholeness.

Winter 2019

 

Sabbath Paintings 2016-2018

Artist’s Statement:

The past few years I have transitioned from being a full-time therapist to doing ministry at Madison Church’s Square Campus and Madison Church’s North Campus where I am the Director of Worship Design.  An important part of doing ministry is taking weekly Sabbath Days to be with God.  Often, these are difficult weekly times where I need to stop what I usually am doing, and reflect on how I tend to be driven by my own sense of self-importance by what I accomplish, or what I am striving to accomplish.  When I am having my best sabbath times, I am able to focus on being in loving relationship with God.  During these times, I try to capture a sense of God’s presence on canvas.  These latest pieces are Sabbath paintings created during and between these Sabbath periods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sabbath Paintings from 2014-2016