Isaiah 66:7-9 spirit illustration

This paper-cut out illustration is a branch-off from my previous post...

http://thelostsocklife.blogspot.com/2014/04/jeremiah-17-7-8-spirit-illustration.html

I am using clippings from obituaries in the newspaper as the blooms from the flowers. To me, this symbolizes pain from loss of a loved one not being in vain. God does not give death the last word. From the pain of loss comes new growth and new hope. Isaiah 66:7-9 says, "Before her pain came, she delivered a son. Who has heard of such a thing? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?... I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born." Just as the pains of birth come, so follows new life. Nothing good comes easily. Nothing strong is built quickly. Sacrifice births life and peace. Look at the cross. 

Sometimes tragedy happens to us and we are left with nothing but questions and possibly doubt. Personally, Through death my faith grew. Our perspective changed. We live still... But in a new light. I believe more now in what I can't see, trust more in the unknown, and cling to hope for new life and second chances. I will never know why The Lord too my husband from his family at the young age of 35. But I will never selfishly want him to return the this world of death, because I know where he is nothing ever dies. It is hope I hold to and faith in eternity that keeps me moving. I refuse to let death defeat me or my family and the life we are still living here on Earth. God is not done with us... We still have a purpose. God is using us for His kingdom and we are gonna keep making life. 

Jeremiah 17: 7-8 Spirit illustration

 

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Amplified Bible (AMP)

^"[Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord,

 and whose hope and confidence the Lord is.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit."

 

Above 1: After Sharpie doodle

Above 2: After colored pencil shading and highlighting

 

Usually I get ideas by being inspired by music, quotes, my surroundings, or other artists work. 

I was very inspired by this Del Barber poster I found online...

I loved the layers of the subdued colors stacked together with the texture defining brown lines on all the objects. I was fascinated by the way they exposed the layers of dirt below to show the roots and it reminded me of how we should root ourselves in Christ... or we will be fearful & fruitless.

So, I used the verse in Jeremiah for my Biblical Inspiration.

 

As an art teacher, I just got done teaching my students about Paper Cut-Out method done by Henri Matisse. So, I decided to use the paper cut out to get the layers I wanted of the background paper to doodle on top of. 

I started with manilla for my foreground (tree trunk and dirt), 

then brown (leaves, nest, grass, and roots), 

pink (bird and fruit),

baby blue (water), 

and finally sage green (background sky). 

You can see some of the Matisse lessons we did here if desired on my LostSock Art Teacher Blog...

http://tabithaannthelostsock.blogspot.com/2014/04/matisse-inspired-lessons.html

After I glued down the paper cut-outs, I then used Sharpies (brown, green, and rasperry) to doodle the texture on each part. After the doodle, I used colored pencils to add shading and highlights to the landscape. For the final step, I used this iridescent paper that I have been hording since childhood to cut a piece just right to layer over my water. 

I enjoyed this process so much I am planning on making more in the very near future!

Now you can too!

Light & Salvation by Tabitha Seaton

I cannot get rid of this image in my head the last week. It is of a strong bold and colorful flower growing toward the sun. It gravitates towards the source of it's strength as if it is only think that matters. Although the other flowers around it are growing a different way, it is not concerned with it's surroundings. The only thing that matters in this landscape is that the flower and "Son" are one. They are beyond the physical realm and exist in the spirit. The "Son" is the Light where the flower is drawn to for strength and the blood is the nourishing Salvation.

Since my life has been drastically changed by circumstance, I feel as though I am this flower. Hard rains may beat me down here, but it's moisture makes me stronger. I am aware there is a season for all things in order to make His will work. In the seasons of storms, I learn to lean on a higher power beyond my own. I am here on earth, knowing it is His plan for me... But my gaze is upward, my heart is His, my hope is Heaven, and my desire to to point others to Him. The more I grow towards the Spirit, the more the things around me become only silhouettes on the horizon. My gaze is higher as I gain a new perspective.

 

 I used the same image here in a lesson example for my students 

while studying Henri Matisse's paper cut out methods.

 

Read more about Matisse Paper Cut-outs here...

 http://thelostsocklife.blogspot.com/2014/04/matisse-paper-cut-outs.html

and how to teach the technique to students here..

http://tabithaannthelostsock.blogspot.com/2014/04/matisse-inspired-lessons.html

Matisse Paper Cut-Outs

Matisse was an artist who's life was full of mistakes. He selfishly drug his family through hardships in order to fulfill his dream. He was an artwork-aholic, putting his art before his family his entire life. Not until he discovered himself old, sick, and alone does he realize what love really was... Sacrifice. 

Despite his selfishness, I have to admire his guts to produce art that was different than any other in his time. And when he did finally come to the end, despite his immobility and loneliness, he grabbed onto the only thing he had left. He took his God given talent and creatively stayed head above water in his fight for life. When he could not stand up to paint, he laid down to cut! This is when his masterpiece cut-outs were born... In the pit of pain & loneliness came an artistic force of life. He let his art be his last breath. 

I teach my students at school about Master Matisse and introduce them to the method of paper cut-outs. 

As they cut, I do too! 

Intricacy & Purity

Bright  white light robed in a rainbow of color

I love You like no other

Your light fills me with intricacy

And Your blood turns me to purity. 

My limbs gravitate to your radiating beams

My stem growing strength from it's glowing beams.

All others are dying silhouettes on the horizon behind

My life I will never hope to rewind

But grow closer to the eternal finish

Where my spirit will cease to diminish. 

In the shadow of your sacrifice I stand

To your cross I will lift my empty hand.

As light beams of color project from your graven post, 

In this crucifixion cross I mysteriously feel life the most. 

Somehow, In your spirit and invisibility

Is mysteriously the height of all I see. 

For in this casted shadow there is no shame

After tasting your love I will never be the same

In Your shadow there is no dark rigid cold

For in its stretch over this land is where my love has been sold. 

For you bought my spirit with a limitless price

I've lived in darkness and will never go twice. 

For only a fool would walk back to that place

My life of dark shame you have now erased. 

Cup of Sand

Drip doubt drip doubt

Like slow trickle from a water spout.

Searching outside for my thirst to be soothed

But there's no thing that will make my fever smoothed.

My melting ego needs some relief

A compliment sincere enough to believe.

I could search every crevice of this land

To find no water... Only sand.

I'll fill my cup with its grains and take it in

Only to result in a stronger quench within. 

Each sip bringing me closer to death

Drying my lungs as I struggle for a breath...

I close my eyes and drop the cup I clenched

To find a love inside that is sure to drench.

It's always there when all else fails

After I've searched all other dry dead trails.

My compass core always brings my back to You

My overflowing water cup and North so true. 

Why do I get lost so easily so steered astray

When You've proven me time & time the only true way. 

You love this girl who is lost & dizzy from her selfish circling

Always falling tired and thirsty from the vain dance she's swirling. 

You catch me in Your arms so strong

And love me all my journey long. 

Thank You for Your merciful patience with me

For You are my greatest love J.C.

Tabitha Seaton

spirit doodles... medicine for my soul.

 

My art for the last 6 years has been funneled from my soul.

It was the Summer's end of 2008 when something changed...

Just like Sara Groves sings about.

See her sing it here on YouTube, "Something Changed"

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aZ6C1S8K-s

Since then...

Whatever I live, think, feel, absorb, learn, believe, experience, or need emphasized in my life is what comes out of my hand and onto the emptiness. If I keep all these things in, it can be dangerous to me in many ways; spiritually, emotional, mentally, and physically. If I go too long without letting it out, I go crazy. Art is my way of letting go of things needed to be let go of, sharing what needs to be shared, putting things behind me that I cannot carry any more, or today... it is more of my preaching to myself. 

Over and over and over again I am learning that living in Christ means living for the day at hand. I always thought planning, saving, worrying over what is next was a mature perspective. 

But I am not sure where I learned that from. God is continually calling me in life to NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW! Sit and be still in where you are now and BRING TO ME ALL YOU ARE BURDENED WITH.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” 

Philippians 4:6
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Matthew 6:33-34

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew 6:27
"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

 

I have been going crazy here the last 2 weeks working on projects that were good, but not from my heart. God has been calling me to work with Him creatively so that He could once again flood me with His peace. Creating for my Heavenly Father is one way I worship. It is a connection that brings Heaven down to the very place I sit to create. I sat today not knowing what to create... God searched my heart to the core of my fears inside. He pulled them out and showed them to me giving me a new perspective on His word and Promises. 

I do not know where my life is going, not sure at all where I will be or what I will be doing months from now. I know God is stirring in my life and that there is a change on the horizon. I have to trust Him daily to show me His way. Fear takes over every so often and He pulls me back into His strong but gentle grip of peace reassuring me that He has me in His Hand... And is NEVER letting go.

SO, I will move on in my day looking for Him and what He plants in my path. I will tune my ear to His voice following like a lost lamb. For I am His child and He is my Father, I am his little lamb and He is my good shepherd.

Jesus Calling - 

Enjoying Peace in His Presence

By Sarah Young 

day March 29th 

After I sat to write this post, I decided to do my daily exercise at the trails of the Mineola nature preserve insteD of the usual gym. 

I have been walking on the same trail since July when my husband & best friend of 10 years, Shannon, passed. Each time I walked, I would go a little further and gain more courage on the trails. I would pass the "wiggly bridge" (my daughter Maisy calls it) every hike but it was always roped off with DANGER tape. I always wanted to walk it and was continually curious if it would be fixed or not... 

Well... 

Today was the day! As I got closer a fear came over me. I studied it close thinking maybe kids just tore off the tape and it was still really "dangerous". I felt like Peter walking on the water as I slowly footed my way a few feet and turned back in fear. I wondered if God really wanted me to do it. As I wondered I saw little white butterfly float it's way across the bridge as if it was telling me it was safe...

So... I DID IT! 

Finally I walked the wiggly bridge! 

I can't help but feel it as symbolic of coming into a new trust in my life. Letting the old go, walking on wiggly wood across a swamp, while looking ahead into the eyes of my Savior as he whispers, 

"It's ok my child, you're safe."

I will follow Him wherever He leads without looking back. Faith has brought me this far, I'd be a fool not to follow.