Creating in Faith with The Crafter's Workshop

Hello Lifers!

Today, I am up on The Crafter's Workshop blog with a project that is very special to me.

Recently, there has been a worship song that has spoken to me greatly. Have you ever had that happen? The words of a song (worship song or otherwise) just roles around in your head and not just because it has a catchy hook or great beat, but because the WORDS say something more than merely pen on paper can describe.

Here is a beautiful version of it sung by one of my worship SHE-ros, Darlene Zschech.

I wanted to share a little of the faith-based thoughts behind the art.

First, let's start with the obvious:

(1) The words I chose are from the bridge of the song "From my heart to the heavens, Jesus be the Center." The word JESUS is placed directly in the center of the heart AND the canvas, reinforcing the idea of Jesus being the center. 

(2) The rays radiate out of the word JESUS showcasing the love of Christ that should be radiating from OUR hearts if JESUS is truly the center.

(3) The heart is at the center of the canvas and instead of cutting out a perfect heart with my die-cut machine, I chose to cut one out by hand, showing how it's NOT about having a perfect heart...it's about Christ being the enter of our IMPERFECT heart.

Now for a few less obvious thoughts:

(1) The colors of paint here chosen very specially: 

My background is a light wash of blues and greens and whites symbolizing water and earth and the physical plain on which we live.

The colors that my heart rests on purple, blue, red and white. Each has deeply symbolic Biblical meaning: 

BLUE: Is associated with coverings (like in the Tabernacle of the OT) and other heavenly coverings. This is symbolic of Christ being the covering and protection of our heart. It is also associated with water and used in conduction with the Holy Spirit.

RED: Is associated with 2 things: SIN and Christ's payment of sin by his BLOOD. I wanted to use it because both are so important in a life of faith. SIN lives in the world because we are humans in a fallen world, but we are not a slave to SIN (Romans 6:18) because of the BLOOD of Christ.

PURPLE: Like blue, purple is associated with coverings...more specifically used in association with robes of righteousness. Job 29:14 says "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban." 

WHITE: White is most easily associated with purity, but it is also used heavily in the book of Revelation as a symbol victory in the end. The champion in revelation comes on a white horse (Revelatin 6:2, 19:11), while the heavenly armies come "clothed in fine linen, white and clean..following Him on white horses." 

(2) Hidden Words 

All throughout the background there words hidden with the painting. Psalm 119:11 says "I have hidden your word in my heart..." 

(3) Sparks of HOPE within the chaos and never-ending love.

All throughout out the piece, I used a "tiny circle" stencil with silver texture paste. To me this shows the little sparks of hope that are always peaking throughout the chaos of our lives or in this case, the chaos that some people see as the background of my painting. The same goes for the sparks of yellow...hope in the midst of the chaos.

You'll also see numerous circles...some are broken...like some relationships...but one is completely whole, symbolizing the relationship with Christ that will never be broken. 

I hope you will take time to look at my painting with new eyes and maybe you will even discover something within it that speaks to you in a new and different way.

For more information on the "creative" side and more pictures of this painting, check out The Crafter's Workshop Blog: 

Expressing Your Faith through Mixed Media

Until next time creatives, 

XOXO,

KERI 

New venture

Hello All you Lifers! 

I hope you are doing amazingly well and digging out all your warm fuzzy sweaters and boots!

Later this week I will be posting my monthly UPDATE of what has been going on in the studio (as well as some sneaky peeks of what's to come!), but today I wanted to share with you a new little venture I have started. 

I don't talk a lot about my faith, but for those of you who might not know, I am totally, 100% a Christian. And as a Christian, when things happen in my life, I do my best (bc that's all God asks from me..my best...not perfection!) to do things according to the Bible, which I believe to be truth and a guiding light in my life. 

So...I decided to start a blog called "The Grace Journal" and it's a place of me just being open and honest about my life...the good parts and the bad parts. I want it to be a place of hope and healing for those who might have gone through some of the same things I have and maybe a place of encouragement when things aren't so great. 

You can find it here: 

http://www.thegracejournal.blogspot.com/?m=1

Today...I am talking about being a Blame Thief. 

Here's a little pic I made with the Rhonna Farrer app to go along with it. 

Xoxo

Keri

Good Bye 2013...Hello year of Choices!!

It's the last day of 2013 and it's a day for looking back and looking ahead. 

If you've been around since last year, you know my One Little Word for 2013 was "NEW." I wanted a year of new passions, new dreams, new plans and a new, more confident me. And...I think I fulfilled my 2013 One Little Word. 

I quit my job so that I could focus on my art and my family and it was one of the best (and scariest) decisions of my life. 

I put myself out there artistically and tried new things that in the past I was too intimidated to even try. And you know what? I found out...I'm actually pretty good at them. 

I took steps to figure out my little place I this big industry of paper crafting and found a home with Susan K Weckesser and The Craft Warehouse Design teams and a couple of temporary homes with Authentique Paper and Want2Scrap. 

I learned a lot this year about grace, both for myself and others and learned to let go of the fear of being judged and just be authentically who God has made me to be. 

So...as we say good-bye to 2013, it's time to pick a new One Little Word. 

This year I picked: 

It might seem like a weird One Little Word, but let me explain..

Each day, just like I choose my outfits, I get to choose my attitudes, my thoughts and my actions. 

I can choose joy or mourning. 

I can choose grace or judgement.

I can choose faith or fear. 

I can choose trust or solitude. 

I can choose just getting by or I can choose a full life. 

My life is what I choose and my choice is for it to be awesome. 

What about you? What's your One little Word for 2014? 

Leave me a comment...I would love to hear it. 

Thank you so much to all of you who have made it YOUR choice to go along the creative journey with me.

Here's to 2014!! 

XOXO--Keri