Clyde Kilby's Resolution & the Super Moon

I first heard about Clyde Kilby through a John Piper sermon. He then posted Kilby's 10 resolutions for mental health on his blog. There is something so refreshing to feeling small on a great big planet, in a great big universe, held together by an even greater and bigger God. It is a gulp of oxygen to the soul.

Here is the Clyde Kilby quote I mentioned in my Gallery Talk on Thursday:

At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above and about me.

 I spent Saturday night feeling this so deeply. The night sky and the sunrise are especially potent reminders.

Super Moon, 6x8, oil

It wasn't the night of the fullest moon appearance, still just stunning!

 

Nocturnes are tricky. Incredibly fun, but tricky. I was painting by the light of the porch lights, but far enough away to be able to see around the corner of the house. You never quite know what colors you are really mixing and applying. 

The Change in the Sky

Setting

July 17, 2014, Deep Creek Lake, MD

6x6, oil 

inquire

 

First Lights

July 17, 2014, Deep Creek Lake, MD
6x6, oil
inquire

These were painted the same evening as the sky transformed minute by minute. It is amazing how quickly the colors change. By the time one color is mixed and applied it has morphed into another even more beautiful hue.

Oh, to paint the evening horizon. So difficult, so magnificent, so overwhelming... but so rewarding.

A few recent plein air paintings

 

Summer Reflections

 Swift Creek Reservoir

11x14, oil

 

Lilly pads on Walton Lake

6x10, oil

 

 

 The Matthew's Sunflower Field

Powhatan

11x14, oil

Gallery Talk and Opening Event! @ Gallery Flux, August 7th

 

You are invited!

Gallery Exhibition Opening for "Plein Air and Big Skies" 

August 7th 5:30-8pm @ Gallery Flux

I will be presenting a Gallery Talk at 6:00 pm, along with a pastel artist, Dan Michael, on the adventures of painting outdoors.

307 England St, Ashland, VA 23005
(804) 752-3540

I would love to see you there!

Starts with Why

 

Reflections of Indigo

6x8, oil

sold

I had a conversation with my cousin while on vacation about my art career that triggered me to thinking about why I paint. Why I paint in the style that I do, why I paint the subject matter that I do, why I want to sell my paintings, increase exposure of my work, take commissions, etc. Why do I do everything I do?

My cousin Bryan recommended a book by Simon Sinek called "Starts With Why". You have probably heard of him and his message. He gave a fantastic TEDtalk with the same title.

The premise of his argument in the talk was that people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

I've always thought that I'm very clear on my Why. Because it's the same reason I do (or rather, want to do) everything in my life.

A couple days after talking with Bryan I read Psalm 27. Verse 4 is my Why.

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His temple." Psalm 27:4

My personal why is "to behold the beauty of God every day and be amazed by His person, character and majesty."

Now I am just like everyone else. I am distracted by the to-do list, the phone calls and text messages, the people who need things of me, health issues, family issues, peripheral goals and "putting out fires" as they call it. After my conversation with Bryan I started writing a little every day about my Why. I was shocked to see how often I unconsciously switched into "How" and "What" mode. It proved to me that I need to focus my mind more each day, beyond 20 minutes of reading my Bible, on my "Why" for existence. The how's and what's will come naturally when I am clear on my Why.

While Simon Sinek's why for having a Why is to have a more successful business/career/life, my why for having a Why is this: It it what I was made for. I was made to behold God's beauty. I was made to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (as states the Westminster Catechism). It is the very reason I exist. This reason was not chosen by me. It was woven into my soul by the One who brought me into existence in the first place.

I hate how easily I forget it. Those empty feelings, those feelings of dissatisfaction, those feelings of "if only ____ then everything will be right again" are really reminders from the Holy Spirit to return to my Why, my purpose. 

And this purpose, this Why, has everything to do with my artwork. If you don't mind, I'd like to write a little more about it and how it directs the How of my art-making and art selling in subsequent posts. Simon Sinek and my cousin Bryan were good reminders that this is something to be shared.