About this time or year, I start to long for summer. Even though this winter has not been too bad weather-wise, January tends to be a gray month. To give us all a little taste of warmer weather, I am sharing this painting titled, Summer Day at Skagen South Beach. From the late 1870s until […]
January
08
When Life Runs Dry
posted by laurieetta
In John 2, we find the story of Jesus’ first miracle: turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. His mother, Mary, explains the situation to him. “They have no wine.” And Jesus acts. Spiritually speaking, Mary may be naming a truth we feel at times. For all of us, there comes a day […]
January
06
Eternity Swings on this Moment
posted by laurieetta
Not many artists depict the Christmas story through the eyes of Joseph, but French Baroque painter, Philippe de Champaigne, does just that. Notice the carpentry tools under Joseph’s chair, where he has fallen into a deep sleep. As the story is told in Matthew, Joseph learns that Mary is pregnant and decides to divorce her […]
December
13
Alone but Not Lonely
posted by laurieetta
When I came across this painting, I thought it was an appropriate image for the time we are in. Loneliness has become amplified during this time of social distancing and isolation. As winter starts to close in and we enter a darker season with shorter days, it can be hard to be alone. I was […]
December
11
Sowing Seeds to All in Need
posted by laurieetta
One of my favorite places to be is in my dining room looking out towards the birdfeeder in our back yard. I could stand there for hours watching the birds flutter in and out. Usually a red and/or gray squirrel are in the mix, eating seeds off the ground. I have taken delight in discovering […]
November
12
Holy Ground
posted by laurieetta
This painting is quite small—only 12 inches by 12 inches. The size invites intimacy, I think. Central to the composition is a small kneeling figure hunched over, head touching the ground. Is it someone in distress or someone praying? Often those go together. The room would be quite murky and depressing were it not for […]
November
10
At the Center of It All
posted by laurieetta
When this scene was painted (circa 1510), it was one of the first landscape paintings of this scale ever done. The artist, Patinir, is considered the pioneer of “world landscape” compositions which depicts an imaginary panoramic scene viewed from an elevated viewpoint. This particular painting demonstrates the power of such landscapes. The people involved in […]
November
06
Walking in Another Person’s Shoes
posted by laurieetta
I ran across this quote on a blog by Gehad Gamal and I’m not sure if she wrote it or if it should be attributed to someone else, but it struck me. No human being can be more human than another human being.I liberate you from my ignorance. Have you ever thought of someone as […]
November
06
My Favorite Time of Year
posted by laurieetta
As much as I love the warmth of summer, I also appreciate the nip in the air that comes with autumn. The cold snap we had a couple of weeks ago made me worry we had missed the season of fall, but it returned, and we have been enjoying some beautiful weather lately. This painting, […]
September
25
Who is to Blame?
posted by laurieetta
Perhaps you know the story of Job, shown here with his wife. He was a prosperous and godly man, blessed with wealth and family. Satan questions Job’s dedication to God, claiming that Job only loves God because life is easy. He wants to know would happen if Job faced adversity. God allows Satan to have […]
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