A Beautiful Gift

A Beautiful Gift - Study of a Red Rose, 2021

Watercolor pencil on pastel paper

12" x 9"

The beauty of God’s creation is all around us, we need only to stop and smell the roses. Yes, I totally went there haha. Seriously though, and all cliches aside, the evidence of God’s art is all around us. His work is masterful, intricate, breathtakingly beautiful, and, best of all, it is everywhere! You can find it if you point your gaze up to the sky or look down at the ground. His art is right there; whether you look out your kitchen window or glance into a mirror. We need only to slow down and take a moment to take it all in. How phenomenally cool is that? We have a free all-access-pass to a literally divine art gallery!

A few weeks back, our area was beset by another massive windstorm. The destruction left behind by this event was absolutely devastating. Old well-established trees toppled over, roots and all, destroying many peoples’ homes and property. The eerie scene that was left behind resembled a war-zone and left many folks questioning if this was some sort of sign of the apocalypse. I actually heard the word “plague” get thrown out there. The storm also left hundreds of thousands of people without power for several days, as bad windstorms often do here. 

(Photo courtesy of Julie Bear, thank you Miss Julie!)

I found myself on a quest for tea-light candles due to the lack of electricity… and I don’t use the term “quest” lightly. Navigating debris and downed power lines is challenging, to say the least, but attempting to purchase any sort of emergency supplies after such an event is next to impossible. My boyfriend, Todd, and I scoured the usual “Big-Box” suspects and he jokingly called out items we might “need” to lighten the mood. As we passed the floral department, on our last stop, he called out loudly, “do you need roses?! I think you need roses.” As Todd handed me the lovely lush bouquet of a dozen red roses, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “what could be more beautiful and perfect than a red rose? Except, perhaps, a dozen red roses.” :) 

The flowers and the flower department didn’t just magically appear, they had been there the entire time. However, because I was “on a mission,” I was focused on acquiring the one thing I “needed” and I didn’t bother to admire all the lovely bouquets standing right next to me. Their beauty was even more striking in a day full of chaos, destruction, and questing. I contemplated God’s artistic choices as I admired my roses - the sumptuous red accentuated by the complimentary lush green; the bright whimsical sprays of baby’s-breath, and the way that rose petals are arranged so that each one can share the spotlight as the flowers unfurl.

The motivation was perhaps even more beautiful and heart-melting than the gift itself. It was a pure “just because” present. No special holiday or occasion required, “just because I love you and I love to make you smile.” Truly, there was just no way around it - a gift and a gesture that beautiful had to become art.

I began this piece by photo documenting my subject with a million pictures. Ok, maybe not a million, but somewhere around a hundred is pretty typical for my process. I actually hadn’t planned on doing any photography that day but God interrupted my “busy” schedule with a very unseasonable burst of sunshine. Rain, sleet, snow, and apocalyptic windstorms have been the norm here so when God blesses you with 15 minutes of amazingly photogenic sunshine, you take it! And thank goodness I did because it was just that - 15 minutes.

I knew I wanted to capture the vibrant color of my subject while also preserving the intricate linear details. My trusty Faber Castell watercolor pencils were the perfect medium for this mission. An important thing to note when working with colored pencils (of any sort) is the necessity to maintain a sharp tip. Optimal pigment transfer and clean, crisp, linear definition can only be achieved with a super sharp pencil. 

Dale did her best to help but we are still working out the kinks of cat apprentices.

The Holy Spirit kept reminding me to be patient throughout the process of this piece. Layering color can be a slow undertaking and it is very tempting to want to rush and get to the “good parts” particularly the end bit where everything comes together and you get to stand back and admire your creation. Fortunately, He gently reminds me when to take a break and on good days, I actually listen.

I thought about a lot of things as I worked, layering and blending my colors together. I daydreamed about love and my sweet romantic boyfriend. I contemplated patience and the importance of slowly establishing good foundation layers to build upon (in life as well as in art). I marveled at God’s incredible art and His flawless design; how it surrounds us waiting to bless us with its beauty if we would only open our eyes. However, there was something about the concept of a “just because present” that kept grabbing my attention. The words “Just because I love you” resonated in my heart and kept floating to the surface of my mind. My thoughts couldn’t help but draw a parallel to the ultimate “just because I love you present” of all time - God’s sacrifice for us. God, The Creator of the Universe, sacrificed His only son, Jesus, because He loved us. God gave us the most valuable gift in all Creation - salvation, and through that salvation a way for us to be close to Him. This gift was not given because of obligation, it didn’t come with some guilt-ridden agenda, or expectation, and it wasn’t even inspired by our request. God gave it because He loves us.

And what could be more beautiful than a gift like that?