A PERSONAL CHALLENGE

Hello Friends,

Last month (June) my blogger friend, Angela of Crafting with Jack, started a drawing challenge and invited others to join her. Since I had been wanting some motivation to improve my drawing skills, I jump right in with her. Granted, I was not able to keep up with her commitment to draw every single day, but I did gain momentum as the month went on. In fact, I was just getting into the swing of it in the last couple of weeks.

Now I need some motivation to paint and art journal more often. My personal challenge is to paint or art journal every day of the week except one. Who would like to join me in this challenge?

THE CHALLENGE: You can paint absolutely anything - even a dresser - and you can make your own parameters. You may only want to commit to painting/art journaling 1-2 times per week and that is fine. Just make sure you post your results on your blog. We will share links to each others blogs in our posts.

Sometimes I will post my results on "Tickell Expressions"; other times I will post on my "A Closer Walk" blog. Please subscribe to both if you don't want to miss a post. I have e-mail subscription links on both of my blogs.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will join me in this challenge.

Hugs & Smiles,
Teresa

Kisses from Heaven

Hello Friends,

A while back I started making backgrounds for a 2-page spread in my Take Me Deeper (His Kingdom Come) art journal. As often happens when I paint intuitively, outlines of faces began to emerge out of the random patterns of ink sprays and paint smears.

Today I started working one of the faces. Since I neglected to Gesso (prime) the page in the beginning, the art from the other side was showing through. By and by I noticed that some of the splotches that bled through looked like lip prints - kisses. That spoke to me of God's love for me so I built my page on that theme, using a bible verse from Song of Solomon.

I used Gelatos (water gel crayons) to form a rainbow at the top of the page and camouflage most of the bleed-through from the other side. The image was painted with tube water colours. I highlighted the 'lip prints' with crimson red and then blotted them with a paper towel. I stamped around my painted image with black archival ink and stamps from Inkadinkado.

The Lord gave me a new prayer language near the beginning of 2015. One phrase springs often from my tongue when I lift up my heart to him - "Ti amo". I found out that this is Italian for "I love you", but it is not used for just anyone or anything. You would not even say it to your child. "Ti amo" is for the most intimate relationship known to humans. But there is a deep spiritual intimacy which is available to those who will seek for it with their whole hearts. This is the relationship I desire to have with my God and my Saviour, Jesus Christ.

I used one of my Praise Him stencils for the first time on bottom of this page. I used water colour paints on the image. Then I stamped a flower from my Inkadinkado set and dotted around it with a white gel pen. I painted 'hair' over the head, covering part of the stamped flower, so it now looks like wings. I also stamped a sentiment "Love and Devotion" from my  Creative Imaginations wedding stamp set.

And here is the page in its entirety.

As I look upon the face of my lady, covered in kisses, I sense the love and delight of my God for me. To him I am altogether lovely and there is no flaw in me. He sees the same when he looks at you. Close your eyes and feel his gaze. Can you feel his love, his kisses pouring over you? I pray that you will.

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I hope I have inspired you a little. Above all, please remember that you are beautiful and you are loved.

Blessing hugs,
Teresa

The Wise Took Oil

Hello Friends,

Yesterday, during an early morning quiet time with the Lord, I noticed a lamp giving off rainbows. They looked like long poles; two on the right side and two on the left side. I had seen this once before from this lamp, but this time I felt compelled to sketch it. As I prepared to draw, the poles stretched into banners. Two banners were on the right and one banner stretched between the two poles on the left. Then, as I started to draw the banners something startling began to take shape. A wooden figure appeared, as though holding the light of the lamp. It didn't change again the whole time I drew it. I would look down for a while, sketching, and when I looked up again, what I saw remained the same. I can't explain this and there were no feelings associated with it. It was just there.

I am learning to let my art happen, without any need to explain it while it is unfolding. Once I completed my rough sketch, I asked the Lord what the vision meant. Right away I thought of Jesus' parable of the 10 virgins. (Matthew 25) Five were wise and five were foolish. The wise virgins brought extra oil to replenish their lamps, while the foolish five did not.

Even though all 10 virgins grew tired of waiting and fell asleep, the five with extra oil were quickly able to prepare when the bridegroom came for them. The lamps of the other five were also going out by this time. They tried to buy more oil, but it was too late. By the time they arrived to the wedding feast, the bridegroom told them, "I don't know you."

All of my life I pictured the bridegroom in this parable coldly turning the five foolish virgins away, but another story was revealed to me through my own painting.

Since I was doing a two-page spread, I used the same water colours for the backgrounds of both pages. I had worship music on and sensed the leading of Holy Spirit as I splashed paint on both pages. When I had completed the main painting and written the scripture on the facing page, I noticed a figure at the bottom.

He appeared to be hunched over and I felt that he was in sorrow. It came to my mind that this was a picture of Jesus, as the Bridegroom, having to turn away the foolish virgins who had not taken extra oil with them. It is with great sorrow in his heart (not coldness) that Jesus will turn away those who never took the time to know him.

What does the oil in the parable represent? I believe it speaks of the Oil of the Lord 's Presence. Being a Christian has little to do with religion and everything to do with relationship. God wants to be in relationship with us. He wants to speak to, listen to and connect with us. He wants to touch us in tangible ways that will bring unspeakable joy to our lives. His Presence is real.

There will be times of dryness, when it seems hard to detect His Presence in our lives, but if we have made a habit of seeking Him, especially in the secret place where no one else sees, then we will have a store of Holy Oil. Our wicks will quickly ignite as soon as He comes near and our passion for His Presence will be rejuvenated.

Have you collected Oil for your lamp today?

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you were inspired by my words or my art. No matter where you are on your faith journey, just know this: You are beautiful and you are loved.

Blessing hugs,
Teresa